{"id":534552,"date":"2026-07-20T04:00:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T04:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/534552\/"},"modified":"2026-07-20T04:00:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T04:00:15","slug":"shane-van-gisbergen-matches-career-best-oval-finish-with-fifth-at-north-wilkesboro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/534552\/","title":{"rendered":"Shane van Gisbergen matches career-best oval finish with fifth at North Wilkesboro"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"SVG
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tShane van Gisbergen during the NASCAR Cup Series at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Image: Chris Owens<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The result equals van Gisbergen\u2019s efforts earlier this year at Nashville Superspeedway in almost identical circumstances when qualifying was rained out and gave SVG a good starting spot.<\/p>\n

The driver of the #97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Camaro shone in the opening leg, coming up just short of the Stage 1 win behind the #54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry of Ty Gibbs.<\/p>\n

SVG backed that effort up with fifth in Stage 2 before closing out Stage 3 with a top-five run.<\/p>\n

The race was won by Joey Logano, who controlled Stage 3 to take victory in the #22 Team Penske Ford Mustang ahead of a resurgent Denny Hamlin in the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Camry.<\/p>\n

\u201cHell yeah, what a night,\u201d van Gisbergen radioed to his crew.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood job guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Complete our motor oil survey for your chance to win 1 of 5 Supercheap Auto $100 gift cards.
\nTake the short survey.<\/a><\/p>\n

JOEY LOGANO TAKES THE VICTORY AT @NWBSpeedway<\/a> \ud83d\udd25\ud83c\udfc6 pic.twitter.com\/FUOrjjcc17<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) July 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

After his hair-raising Stage 1 finish<\/a>, van Gisbergen lined up second for the start of Stage 2 alongside Logano. Van Gisbergen tried to mount an attack for the lead but found himself fading as the stage wore on.<\/p>\n

Just as van Gisbergen was about to head to the lane in the midst of green flag pit stops, the caution came out on Lap 183.<\/p>\n

That was triggered by Alex Bowman in the #48 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro coming across the nose of 23XI Racing\u2019s Tyler Reddick in the #45 Camry. They spun, and Bowman collected the inside wall approaching pit entry.<\/p>\n

Once the field was cleansed, Logano led Hamlin to the Lap 194 restart ahead of Blaney and van Gisbergen.<\/p>\n

Major WRECK between Alex Bowman and Tyler Reddick in Stage 2 \ud83d\ude2c pic.twitter.com\/La0ZxMeI73<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) July 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The caution came out again on Lap 199 when Christopher Bell in the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Camry got loose entering Turn 3 and slid up into the side of Josh Berry\u2019s #21 Wood Brothers Racing Mustang, who did a 180-degree spin and slapped the outside wall.<\/p>\n

Racing resumed on Lap 207. Van Gisbergen ran the high line and cleared Hamlin for second but soon had the #77 Spire Motorsports Camaro of Carson Hocevar on his outside.<\/p>\n

Van Gisbergen looked like he might threaten Hocevar for third but wound up battling to keep Hamlin behind. He overtook van Gisbergen on Lap 234 and then a hard-charging Briscoe got by the Kiwi.<\/p>\n

Van Gisbergen gained a place with four laps to go in Stage 2 with a pass on Hocevar but lost out to Bubba Wallace on the last lap of the stage.<\/p>\n

Logano won Stage 2 ahead of Hamlin, Briscoe, Wallace, van Gisbergen, Hocevar, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Todd Gilliland and Daniel Suarez.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe balance was really good, just starting to fade,\u201d said van Gisbergen under the yellow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like I\u2019m really strong early.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stage 3 started on Lap 276. Van Gisbergen spent the lion\u2019s share of Stage 3 jockeying for positions in the top five.<\/p>\n

Before the final round of pit stops, Logano led Hamlin, Briscoe, Wallace, Blaney and van Gisbergen.<\/p>\n

Green flag pit stops began in earnest on Lap 360 when Hamlin pitted from second. Logano reacted and pitted a lap later.<\/p>\n

Van Gisbergen pitted on Lap 365, ending a 90-lap green flag run.<\/p>\n

Once the pit stops shook out, Logano led Hamlin by just a few car lengths. On corrected order, van Gisbergen was fourth behind Briscoe.<\/p>\n

Blaney, meanwhile, was effectively taken out of contention for speeding entering pit road.<\/p>\n

Van Gisbergen held fourth for the bulk of the final green flag run until 25 laps to go when Gibbs got to the inside to take the place away.<\/p>\n

At the head of the field, Logano navigated traffic and a late charge from Hamlin to win by eight tenths of a second. Briscoe was third, Gibbs fourth and van Gisbergen fifth.<\/p>\n

Results: NASCAR Cup Series Window World 250, North Wilkesboro<\/p>\n

Pos
\nNum
\nDriver
\nTeam
\nCar
\nLaps\/Diff
\nGap<\/p>\n

1
\n22
\nJoey Logano
\nTeam Penske
\nFord Mustang
\n450<\/p>\n

2
\n11
\nDenny Hamlin
\nJoe Gibbs Racing
\nToyota Camry
\n0.859
\n0.859<\/p>\n

3
\n19
\nChase Briscoe
\nJoe Gibbs Racing
\nToyota Camry
\n7.936
\n7.077<\/p>\n

4
\n54
\nTy Gibbs
\nJoe Gibbs Racing
\nToyota Camry
\n15.436
\n7.5<\/p>\n

5
\n97
\nShane Van Gisbergen
\nTrackhouse Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n17.448
\n2.012<\/p>\n

6
\n23
\nBubba Wallace
\n23XI Racing
\nToyota Camry
\n19.765
\n2.317<\/p>\n

7
\n6
\nBrad Keselowski
\nRFK Racing
\nFord Mustang
\n1 lap<\/p>\n

8
\n34
\nTodd Gilliland
\nFront Row Motorsports
\nFord Mustang
\n1 lap<\/p>\n

9
\n7
\nDaniel Suarez
\nSpire Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n1 lap<\/p>\n

10
\n60
\nRyan Preece
\nRFK Racing
\nFord Mustang
\n1 lap<\/p>\n

11
\n12
\nRyan Blaney
\nTeam Penske
\nFord Mustang
\n2 laps
\n1 lap<\/p>\n

12
\n24
\nWilliam Byron
\nHendrick Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n2 laps<\/p>\n

13
\n77
\nCarson Hocevar
\nSpire Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n2 laps<\/p>\n

14
\n2
\nAustin Cindric
\nTeam Penske
\nFord Mustang
\n2 laps<\/p>\n

15
\n5
\nKyle Larson
\nHendrick Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n2 laps<\/p>\n

16
\n10
\nTy Dillon
\nKaulig Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n2 laps<\/p>\n

17
\n9
\nChase Elliott
\nHendrick Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n3 laps
\n1 lap<\/p>\n

18
\n35
\nRiley Herbst
\n23XI Racing
\nToyota Camry
\n3 laps<\/p>\n

19
\n20
\nChristopher Bell
\nJoe Gibbs Racing
\nToyota Camry
\n3 laps<\/p>\n

20
\n17
\nChris Buescher
\nRFK Racing
\nFord Mustang
\n3 laps<\/p>\n

21
\n43
\nErik Jones
\nLegacy Motor Club
\nToyota Camry
\n3 laps<\/p>\n

22
\n38
\nZane Smith
\nFront Row Motorsports
\nFord Mustang
\n3 laps<\/p>\n

23
\n3
\nAustin Dillon
\nRichard Childress Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n4 laps
\n1 lap<\/p>\n

24
\n71
\nMichael McDowell
\nSpire Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n4 laps<\/p>\n

25
\n4
\nNoah Gragson
\nFront Row Motorsports
\nFord Mustang
\n4 laps<\/p>\n

26
\n48
\nAlex Bowman
\nHendrick Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n4 laps<\/p>\n

27
\n1
\nRoss Chastain
\nTrackhouse Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n4 laps<\/p>\n

28
\n41
\nCole Custer
\nHaas Factory Team
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n4 laps<\/p>\n

29
\n51
\nCody Ware
\nRick Ware Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n4 laps<\/p>\n

30
\n45
\nTyler Reddick
\n23XI Racing
\nToyota Camry
\n5 laps
\n1 lap<\/p>\n

31
\n42
\nJohn Hunter Nemechek
\nLegacy Motor Club
\nToyota Camry
\n5 laps<\/p>\n

32
\n88
\nConnor Zilisch
\nTrackhouse Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n7 laps
\n2 laps<\/p>\n

33
\n33
\nAustin Hill
\nRichard Childress Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n8 laps
\n1 lap<\/p>\n

34
\n47
\nRicky Stenhouse Jr.
\nHyak Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n8 laps<\/p>\n

35
\n66
\nChad Finchum
\nGarage 66
\nFord Mustang
\n147 laps
\n139 laps<\/p>\n

36
\n21
\nJosh Berry
\nWood Brothers Racing
\nFord Mustang
\n251 laps
\n104 laps<\/p>\n

37
\n16
\nAJ Allmendinger
\nKaulig Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n260 laps
\n9 laps<\/p>\n

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