Shane van Gisbergen wins his NASCAR Cup Series debut in memorable finish to series’ 1st street race.

Shane van Gisbergen made a remarkable debut in the NASCAR Cup Series by winning the first-ever street race in downtown Chicago. The race took place on a rainy Sunday, where van Gisbergen showcased his skills by chasing down Justin Haley and Chase Elliott in an unforgettable finish.

After overtaking Elliott, van Gisbergen engaged in a thrilling battle with Haley in the final laps. Ultimately, the three-time Supercars champion managed to take the lead and secure the victory. Haley held on to second place, with Elliott finishing in third.

Van Gisbergen, a 34-year-old native of New Zealand, became the first driver since Johnny Rutherford in 1963 to win their debut race in the Cup Series. This achievement marked a significant milestone in his career.

In other news, Alex Palou continued his winning streak in the IndyCar race with a victory at Mid-Ohio. Cole Custer was declared the winner of the NASCAR Xfinity Series after persistent rain forced the cancellation of the race. Additionally, heavy rains caused flooding on the Chicago roads, leading to the early conclusion of the downtown street race. Tragically, a NASCAR contractor lost their life due to an electrocution incident during the event.

Reflecting on his victory, van Gisbergen expressed his excitement, stating, “This was so cool. This is what you dream of.” He had the opportunity to drive the No. 91 Chevrolet in Chicago as part of Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91, aiming to expand the team’s global reach.

By leading Lap 25, van Gisbergen secured the first lap led for Project 91 in three starts. Furthermore, he joined an elite group of six drivers born outside the United States who have won a NASCAR Cup Series race, including Marcos Ambrose, Mario Andretti, Juan Pablo Montoya, Earl Ross, and Daniel Suárez.

Elliott humorously quipped, “He’s going to go home and tell all his friends how bad we are,” acknowledging van Gisbergen’s impressive performance.

Van Gisbergen’s NASCAR debut was supported by Darian Grubb, the former crew chief for Tony Stewart during his championship-winning season in 2011.

The race, initially scheduled for 100 laps and 220 miles, was shortened due to the fading sunlight. The start was delayed for over 90 minutes due to a historic rainfall that caused flooding on the track. The second half of the Xfinity Race, which was suspended on Saturday due to lightning, was ultimately canceled.

Before the race, as rain persisted, Denny Hamlin, the pole-sitter, took to Twitter to advocate for a delay. Noah Gragson shared a video showing one of his tires floating on pit road. Consequently, NASCAR allowed the drivers to return to their haulers. Fortunately, the weather eventually cleared up, but the course remained wet during the race. As the track started to dry and teams switched to slick tires, drivers still encountered splashing water whenever they slid into tire barriers.

Multiple incidents occurred throughout the race, with Gragson, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Hamlin, Elliott, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. all encountering issues involving tire barriers. Notably, a major pileup involving 14 cars on Michigan Avenue added to the event’s excitement, surely amusing local Chicago drivers familiar with the area.

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• NASCAR Cup Series: https://www.nascar.com/cup-series/
• Trackhouse Racing: https://www.trackhouseracing.com/
• Supercars: https://www.supercars.com/
• Chicago Street Race: [insert relevant link here]
• Shane van Gisbergen: [insert relevant link here] (Note: The specific link to Shane van Gisbergen’s official website or profile is not available without further information)
• Johnny Rutherford: https://www.racing-reference.info/driver/Johnny_Rutherford
• Denny Hamlin: https://www.dennyhamlin.com/
• Kyle Busch: https://www.kylebusch.com/
• Justin Haley: https://www.justin-haley.com/
• Chase Elliott: https://www.chaseelliott.com/