Shane van Gisbergen faced a challenging start to the NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway, after his Trackhouse Racing #88 Chevrolet Camaro drew penalties during pre-race inspections.
The Kiwi driver’s crew chief, Stephen Doran, was removed from the event following unapproved adjustments to the car.
As a result, van Gisbergen lost his pit selection, was required to start from the back of the field, and had to serve a stop-and-go penalty immediately after the green flag. Van Gisbergen had posted 22nd in practice and qualified 24th, but the penalties set him back further.
Despite the early obstacles, van Gisbergen mounted an impressive recovery. He initially fell two laps down following his stop-and-go penalty, but regained the lead lap thanks to a Lucky Dog free-pass on Lap 89 after a caution for a collision between Ryan Preece and John Hunter Nemechek.
The race remained unpredictable through Stage 2, as van Gisbergen struggled with a tight car and a challenging setup, ultimately finishing 19th in the stage.
Stage 3 brought further drama when William Byron nudged van Gisbergen, pushing him into Alex Bowman and causing minor concerns about potential damage to the #88 car. Van Gisbergen quickly assessed the situation and continued racing, showing resilience and composure.
In the closing laps, the NASCAR Cup Series race erupted with multiple incidents.
Debris on track and accidents involving Kyle Busch and Carson Hocevar brought out cautions, while the first overtime attempt ended dramatically when Zane Smith flipped twice after being squeezed into the wall by John Hunter Nemechek, taking out Ty Gibbs and Josh Berry in the process.
After a red flag to repair track damage and clear the debris, the race resumed for a final overtime restart.
Van Gisbergen, starting ninth on the final restart, charged to finish 10th—his best oval finish in a NASCAR Cup Series championship race—holding off teammate Ross Chastain.
The race victory ultimately went to Chase Elliott, who capitalised on contact between Bubba Wallace and Denny Hamlin on the last lap to take the win.
Hamlin finished second after leading a race-high 159 laps, followed by Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe, and Wallace to round out the top five.
The finish highlighted both the chaos and unpredictability of NASCAR racing, as van Gisbergen’s determined recovery showcased his adaptability and skill in overcoming significant early setbacks.
The Cup Series continues with the Round of 12 elimination race at the Charlotte Roval on Monday, 6 October.
Header Image: Trackhouse Racing
