Shane van Gisbergen continued his sensational rookie season by scoring his fourth NASCAR Cup Series victory of 2025, dominating the closing laps at Watkins Glen International and etching his name into the record books.
The New Zealand driver, piloting the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, pulled away in the final stages to win by a commanding 11.116 seconds over Christopher Bell. The triumph marks van Gisbergen’s fourth win of the season — all on road or street courses — making him the first rookie in Cup Series history to achieve four victories in a debut year. His current streak of four consecutive wins on road/street circuits is the second-longest in NASCAR history.
He cannot be stopped on road courses! SHANE VAN GISBERGEN WINS AT WATKINS GLEN. pic.twitter.com/xaAJ9svF2P
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) August 10, 2025
Race Recap
Pole-sitter Ryan Blaney led the opening five laps before settling into a fierce battle with van Gisbergen, Chase Briscoe, and Ross Chastain. Pit strategies shuffled the field multiple times, with leaders cycling through after green-flag stops and tire strategy becoming a key factor.
Van Gisbergen first took the lead on lap 25 after a bold pass sequence that saw him work past both Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece in rapid succession. From there, he remained a constant threat, even when pit stops temporarily dropped him down the order.
Brad Keselowski, Briscoe, Erik Jones, and William Byron all spent time inside the top five, but van Gisbergen’s pace on the long runs proved untouchable. By lap 77, he had stretched his lead to nearly three seconds over Buescher, and after the final pit cycle, his advantage only grew.
Christopher Bell made a late charge, passing Buescher for second in the bus stop chicane with five laps remaining, but van Gisbergen was already gone — cruising to the finish with no serious challengers.
Notable Incidents
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Lap 6: Kyle Larson spun in Turn 1 with brake issues, forcing an early trip behind the wall for repairs.
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Lap 28 & 29: Two cautions in quick succession — Josh Berry’s spin in Turn 5 and debris on track — bunched up the field.
-
Lap 40: John Hunter Nemechek’s spin brought an end to Stage 2, which was won by Ryan Blaney.
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Lap 85: Brad Keselowski suffered a flat left rear tire while running 14th, causing heavy smoke from his car.
Despite the setbacks for several contenders, the final 25 laps ran under green, allowing van Gisbergen to showcase his road course mastery.
Top 5 Finishers
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Shane van Gisbergen – Trackhouse Racing – 43 points, led 38 laps
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Christopher Bell – Joe Gibbs Racing
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Chris Buescher – RFK Racing
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Ryan Blaney – Team Penske
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Erik Jones – Legacy Motor Club
Looking Ahead
With his latest win, van Gisbergen has solidified himself as a championship contender and the undisputed king of NASCAR’s road courses. His adaptability, strategic precision, and fearlessness in traffic have redefined rookie expectations in the series.
The Cup Series now shifts to an oval, where van Gisbergen will look to carry his momentum beyond the twists and turns that have fueled his historic run.
Watkins Glen Cup Series Results
August 10, 2025
|
POSITION
|
START
|
LED
|
BEHIND
|
PTS
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
S. Van Gisbergen #88
|
2
|
38
|
Winner
|
|
|
2 |
C. Bell #20
|
9
|
0
|
11.116
|
|
|
3 |
C. Buescher #17
|
12
|
5
|
11.825
|
|
|
4 |
W. Byron #24
|
10
|
0
|
16.218
|
|
|
5 |
C. Briscoe #19
|
3
|
6
|
17.182
|
|
|
6 |
R. Blaney #12
|
1
|
36
|
17.320
|
|
|
7 |
D. Suárez #99
|
19
|
0
|
21.508
|
|
|
8 |
B. Wallace #23
|
15
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
9 |
T. Reddick #45
|
21
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
10 |
R. Chastain #1
|
4
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
11 |
R. Preece #60
|
17
|
1
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
12 |
A. Dillon #3
|
25
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
13 |
A. Allmendinger #16
|
18
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
14 |
E. Jones #43
|
29
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
15 |
J. Logano #22
|
11
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
16 |
A. Cindric #2
|
13
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
17 |
Z. Smith #38
|
33
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
18 |
C. Hocevar #77
|
8
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
19 |
M. McDowell #71
|
6
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
20 |
A. Bowman #48
|
7
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
21 |
N. Gragson #4
|
35
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
22 |
K. Busch #8
|
5
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
23 |
R. Herbst #35
|
28
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
24 |
C. Elliott #9
|
20
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
25 |
R. Stenhouse Jr #47
|
34
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
26 |
D. Hamlin #11
|
22
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
27 |
J. Haley #7
|
23
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
28 |
T. Gilliland #34
|
27
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
29 |
C. Ware #51
|
36
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
30 |
T. Dillon #10
|
32
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
31 |
B. Keselowski #6
|
16
|
5
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
32 |
J. Nemechek #42
|
30
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
33 |
T. Gibbs #54
|
14
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
34 |
C. Custer #41
|
31
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
35 |
J. Berry #21
|
24
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
36 |
K. Legge #78
|
37
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
|
|
37 |
J. Bilicki #66
|
39
|
0
|
2 Laps
|
|
|
38 |
J. Yeley #80
|
38
|
0
|
2 Laps
|
|
|
39 |
K. Larson #5
|
26
|
0
|
16 Laps
|
|
