Shane van Gisbergen has won his second race in as many attempts on the Chicago Street Circuit, triumphing in this morning’s Xfinity Series outing ahead of Ty Gibbs and Kyle Larson.
The Kiwi and Larson exchanged places several times over the opening stage, with van Gisbergen hitting the front on the final lap before the green-and-white chequered.
The two traded places again through the opening laps of Stage 2 before stopping during a mid-race caution.
With most of the field having already stopped, van Gisbergen emerged from pit lane in 20th and climway back to the front over the final 25 laps, finishing Stage 2 in tenth and hitting the lead ahead of Jesse Love on the penultimate tour.
Larson dropped to 17th on his stop and also worked forward, but he was passed by #97 shortly before the end of Stage 2.
Van Gisbergen survived late-race contact from Sam Mayer, which put him sideways, to remain in the top three ahead of the final caution.
He started the three-lap sprint to the line in third and made short work of Gibbs and Love to hit the front on Lap 49 of 50 and going on to take his third win of the season.
The Kiwi earlier qualified on pole for the race with a 1:29.448s in the second round of qualifying, pipping Larson by just 0.013s.
He got a great launch from the front to lead Larson into Turn 1, but the #17 Hendrick Motorsport entry responded to shoot to the lead at Turn 4.
Van Gisbergen fought back to hit the front again just two corners later. The duo exchanged places again on Lap 3, with Ty Gibbs running third ahead of Connor Mosack and Jesse Love.
The first caution came on Lap 7, mid-way through the opening stage, when Matt DiBenedetto spun exiting Turn 3. Sage Karam took damage as the field moved to avoid him, leaving debris on the circuit.
Larson led at the Turn 11 restart but ran wide exiting Turn 1, allowing van Gisbergen to pull up alongside. The duo ran side-by-side for several corners until the American retained the position through Turn 6.
The #97 driver did, however, hit the front on Lap 15 and went on to take stage honours ahead of Larson, Gibbs, Mosack and Custer. AJ Allmendinger, who qualified a disappointing 11th, moved forward to end Stage 1 in sixth.
Most of the field stopped under the first caution or at the end of the stage, but the two leaders remained out.
Larson hit the front on the Lap 19 restart, with Allmendinger emerging in the lead battle in third.
The #16 Kaulig Racing road course specialist kept close to the two leaders, but the intensity of the pace at the front saw him slide off and into the tyres on Lap 23, triggering another caution.
Larson and van Gisbergen stopped from the lead during the mid-race caution, with the Kiwi returning in 20th and Larson in 17th
Both made good progress off the ensuing restart, and van Gisbergen passed Larson on Lap 29 to enter the top ten for the end of Stage 2. Austin Hill won the stage ahead of Sammy Smith and Love.
Van Gisbergen started the final stage in seventh, with Larson ninth. Love hit the front on the run to Turn 1.
The green flag running was short-lived, with a five-car nose-to-tail at Turn 11 damaging Karam, Josh Bilicki, Kyle Sieg, Andre Castro, and Parker Retzlaff and bringing another caution.
The Lap 39 restart was followed by another intervention, with Brandon Jones spinning and Preston Pardus losing power and coming to a stop in unrelated incidents.
Van Gisbergen took the restart in fifth and quickly made two places on Lap 42.
On Lap 43, Sam Mayer pressured the Kiwi, and the #97 nudged into the outside wall and almost went into a spin. Van Gisbergen maintained his position but lost over 1 second on the leaders.
He made that time up when Leland Honeyman found the Turn 1 tyre barriers, bringing out a Lap 45 caution and triggering a three-lap sprint to the line. Love was in the lead ahead of Gibbs and van Gisbergen.
Van Gisbergen took second off Gibbs around the outside of Turn 1 off the Lap 47 restart and made short work of Love to hit the front.
Gibbs followed through to take second, while Larson climbed to fourth and got past Love for third on the penultimate tour.
Once in clear air, the Kiwi quickly put over one second on the field, holding on to take his third win of 2024 in the Xfinity Series.
Gibbs took second ahead of Larsona, Kligerman and Love.
Van Gisbergen celebrated with a signature burnout and signed a rugby ball which received a good punt into the crowd.
Van Gisbergen returns to the streets of Chicago for tomorrow’s Cup Series race. He will start from fifth, with Larson earlier qualifying on pole.
