History was made at North Wilkesboro Speedway as Shane van Gisbergen delivered a breathtaking qualifying performance to secure his first-ever pole position on an oval, electrifying fans ahead of the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Open.
While the New Zealander’s day began in spectacular fashion, it ended with heartbreak after a late-race strategy call cost him a spot in the main event.
The All-Star Open’s unique qualifying format—part hot lap, part pit crew showdown—demands precision from both driver and team. Drivers clock a full-speed lap before diving onto pit road for a high-pressure four-tyre stop, with the clock only stopping once the second lap is completed.
It’s a difficult format that many drivers struggle with, but Van Gisbergen handled every part of it perfectly in his No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet.
He clocked a blistering 88.685-second run at an average speed of 76.112mph—over two-tenths faster than Carson Hocevar and Noah Gragson—to claim pole position with surgical precision and pit crew excellence.
“Qualifying has been a weakness. My lap was pretty good, coming in was good, and the pit stop guys were insane, so it was really good for them,” said Van Gisbergen.
Lining up alongside Hocevar on the front row, Van Gisbergen made an assertive start, taking the lead into Turn 1 as chaos unfolded behind. Michael McDowell muscled his way into third, while Zane Smith surged into fourth, sending Gragson tumbling down the order to 11th.
Hocevar and McDowell soon locked horns, making contact in a fierce battle for second before McDowell completed the pass.
From the cockpit, Van Gisbergen kept his cool, radioing his crew to ask whether to back off or keep pressing.
“You can match them if you need to. You’re still a tenth and a half better,” came the calm reply. “Just to not burn it up,” his crew replied
Van Gisbergen maintained his lead through the opening stint, keeping the chasing pack at bay.
Behind him, AJ Allmendinger was charging from 16th to 11th, and Bubba Wallace climbed from 14th to 10th as the field settled in.
The race’s complexion shifted at Lap 52 with the mandatory All-Star caution.
Pit strategy became the name of the game. With high tyre wear at Wilkesboro, Van Gisbergen and his team opted for four fresh tyres. It was the conservative play, banking on grip for the closing laps.
Others, like Wallace and Hocevar, gambled on two tyres to gain track position.
The decision shuffled Van Gisbergen back to sixth on exit and planted seeds of doubt in the Trackhouse garage.
When the green flag dropped with 41 laps to go, Van Gisbergen battled side-by-side with Ryan Preece—both on four fresh tyres—but soon found himself boxed in by traffic. Allmendinger slipped past, and the No. 88 started to lose ground.
With 23 laps remaining, a caution was triggered when Riley Herbst spun following slight contact from McDowell. The field bunched up once again, and eight cars headed to pit road. Van Gisbergen stayed out, betting that maintaining track position could help him regain momentum.
On the restart with 17 to go, Van Gisbergen went three-wide with Gibbs and John Hunter Nemechek before being swallowed up in a frantic four-wide melee with Jones, Gibbs and Dillon. He was pushed back to 11th, and the slide continued.
As Hocevar held firm at the front and Nemechek powered to second, Van Gisbergen faded to 14th with six laps remaining. The gamble on four tyres—once seen as the smart, long-run play—proved too costly in a race dominated by clean air and track position.
Hocevar crossed the line to win the All-Star Open and book his place in the main event alongside Nemechek. The final transfer spot went to fan vote winner Noah Gragson, leaving Van Gisbergen just short of his first All-Star Race appearance.
Towards the end, Van Gisbergen was locked in some very aggressive battles, leaving his No.88 Trackhouse Chevrolet a bit worse for wear.
“It was awesome to lead there for a bit, but once I was back there, there was no grip,” said a disappointed Van Gisbergen post-race.
Despite the result, Van Gisbergen’s performance, particularly in qualifying, offered a glimpse of his rapidly growing oval prowess.
The Kiwi may have missed the show this time, but he made one thing clear at North Wilkesboro: he’s not just here to participate—he’s here to contend.
Header Image: NASCAR via X
