NASCAR’s First-Ever Street Race in Chicago: Shane Van Gisbergen Takes Historic Win
NASCAR made history in downtown Chicago with its first-ever street race, delivering a thrilling event filled with excitement and challenges. Despite treacherous weather conditions, lightning, and heavy rain causing delays and multiple crashes, the drivers pushed through, resulting in an unforgettable race.
Shane Van Gisbergen emerged as the winner of the highly anticipated race on Sunday, displaying a remarkable debut performance. Driving a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, the 34-year-old overcame the turbulent weather, proving his skills on the track. His victory not only secured him the glory of winning NASCAR’s first street race in Chicago but also earned him a significant share of the $7,565,807 prize money allocated across the 37-driver field. In addition, Van Gisbergen garnered a minimum of 40 points for the win, contributing to his playoff push.
As the race progressed, Christopher Bell initially led the way, with Tyler Reddick and Ty Gibbs closely behind in second and third place. However, Bell’s fortune diminished, and he spun out, relinquishing the top position. Justin Haley took over the lead until Van Gisbergen executed a brilliant move to surpass Haley and secure his victorious position. Haley finished in second place, trailed by Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, and Kyle Busch in the top five, respectively.
Interestingly, Van Gisbergen created history beyond winning the race. He became the first driver to win their Cup Series debut since Johnny Rutherford achieved the feat in the second qualifying race at Daytona back in 1963. Furthermore, the New Zealand native joined the elite club of six drivers born outside of the United States to win a NASCAR Cup Series race, alongside Marcos Ambrose, Mario Andretti, Juan Pablo Montoya, Earl Ross, and Daniel Suárez. Van Gisbergen, hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, has an impressive track record, having won three Supercars championships in 2016, 2021, and 2022. For this particular Cup Series race, he raced under Trackhouse Racing, despite being a part of Triple Eight Race Engineering, an Australian motor racing team.
Looking ahead, the next race in the Cup Series is the Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart, scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 9. The race will be held at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Georgia, promising another thrilling event for NASCAR fans.
Overall, NASCAR’s first street race in downtown Chicago delivered a historic and action-packed event, with Shane Van Gisbergen making his mark as the race winner. The combination of challenging weather conditions and fierce competition created a race to remember for both drivers and fans alike.