Shane Van Gisbergen wins Chicago Street Race in his first ever NASCAR start

Shane Van Gisbergen won the first ever NASCAR street race held on the Chicago Street Course. In doing so he went to victory lane in his first ever NASCAR start becoming the first driver to do so in 60 years.

Earlier in the day rain forced the NASCAR to abandon plans to complete the Xfinity Series race. That left the race two laps short of the halfway point but a fact the sport was willing to overlook in order to get the Cup Series race in. Cole Custer was credited with the win.

Weather was an issue for much of the day with rain coming down and questions as to whether or not the race would get in. The race originally scheduled for 4:30 pm CT was bumped up on Saturday only to be delayed until after 5:00 pm CT.

Don’t think we’re gonna need the slicks today. pic.twitter.com/BNpmpXhIG3

— Trackhouse Racing (@TeamTrackhouse) July 2, 2023

The race began with Denny Hamlin on pole besting Tyler Reddick and Supercars start Shane Van Gisbergen who was making his first ever NASCAR start.

For the first time in NASCAR Cup Series history, we’re racing on the streets of Chicago!

📺: NBC | #NASCARChicago pic.twitter.com/8TZ4NECTN1

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 2, 2023

Hamlin would lead them to the green in single file formation. Reddick would get around Hamlin quickly to assume the lead. Several cars would spin or go off track in the opening laps including Hamlin who got into a tire barrier. The first caution came out on lap three as Kyle Busch went hard into a tire barrier. Busch’s car would be pulled out and he would resume without losing a lap. Reddick would run wide in turn 6 opening up a line for Christopher Bell to take the lead.

Brad @keselowski was the meat in a Legacy sandwich. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/QRRA3YH8gk

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 2, 2023

‘@KyleBusch SLIDES into the tire barrier! #NASCARChicago

📺 : @NBC and @Peacock pic.twitter.com/nP5LIzlatE

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 2, 2023

Noah Gragson would run into the tire barriers on lap 12.

Not the kind of burnout @NoahGragson wanted to do. #NASCARChicago pic.twitter.com/jRgOZMXu15

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 2, 2023

Bell, Reddick. Van Gisbergen, Martin Truex Jr., Michael McDowell, Daniel Suarez, Kyle Larson, AJ Allmendinger, Ty Gibbs and Jenson Button would finish the first stage in points paying positions. Cars began to pit following the end of the first stage, though the race remained green without a break.

Joey Logano would run into the tire barrier on lap 22 but was able to pull out without stopping. When Button came onto pit road to pit for slicks he was run into and spun by Chris Buescher with Joey Logano’s entrance into the pits being blocked also. Following pitstops everyone had switched to slicks while the track showed considerable water still.

Gragson would go into the tires in turn 6 again on lap 30 to bring out the third caution of the race.

Noah Gragson involved in another crash in Turn 6. #NASCARChicago | NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/BABlAlcPKy

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 2, 2023

Hamlin would get into Alex Bowman, who was running 11th, on lap 39 spinning him to bring out a caution. At this point several teams started to vary their race strategy expecting the race to be called prior to lap 100 due to lighting concerns. Those banking on the race ending early opted to pit. Bowman would bring out the caution after the restart when his engine expired. This resulted in the end of stage 2 with Bell in the lead.

With 45 laps completed NASCAR notified teams that the race would end on lap 75 due to the late start and darkness concerns. Teams who pitted under the previous caution would take the lead resulting in Bell being shown in 12th when the race resumed.

Byron would get into the corner setting off a chain reaction and a traffic jam behind him which would force NASCAR to determine the running order.

TRAFFIC JAM!#NASCARChicago | @NBC and @Peacock pic.twitter.com/t75M7Ll9cD

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 3, 2023

Justin Haley would lead the field back to green on lap 52 as Truex Jr. would spin in turn 4 a lap later. Bubba Wallace would spin shortly there after but both cars would rejoin the race without a yellow. Gragson would crash into turn 6 again but would keep going.

Stuck in traffic for the first time, Bell ran into the tire barrier but kept going. While runnin fourth, Reddick would get stuck in a tire barrier on lap 57. Pressuring Haley, Dillon would ran into the tire barrier and break a toe link on lap 61 but he would manage to get it to pit road. The mistake by Dillon moved Elliott up to second. Van Ginsbergen would make his way up to fourth as Truex would go into the tires on lap 64. Van Ginsbergen would get past Elliott and set his sights on Haley making a pass for the lead as Truex Jr. went into the tire barrier again bringing out a caution. Haley would be ruled to have been the leader when the caution came out.

On the restart with five to go Van Ginsbergen would get around Haley.

SHANE VAN GISBERGEN TO THE LEAD!

IT’S HIS FIRST NASCAR RACE! pic.twitter.com/Vm1q6FAop6

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 3, 2023

Bubba Wallace would get into Ricky Stenhouse Jr sending him into the tire barrier with two laps to go. Since the white flag had not been shown yet the race went into overtime.

Van Ginsbergen goes to victory lane in his first NASCAR start, a feet not accomplished since Johnny Rutherford in 1963.

The win is the second in as many weeks for Trackhouse Racing as Ross Chastain won a week ago at Nashville Superspeedway.

Cup Series Results for Chicago Street Race

July 2, 2023