In a recent NASCAR event, three-time Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen started from the 31st position at the Talladega track, marking his third race on this massive oval circuit. Even though he didn’t manage to lead a single lap, he managed to stay with the frontrunners for a significant part of the intense competition.
During the race, he faced a critical moment. In the 112th lap, while entering the pit during the green flag, Shane lost control as he raced into the pit area with a large number of vehicles. He then flipped over slightly when braking, making minor contact with Christopher Bell’s car, but fortunately, it didn’t result in any significant damage.
Shane stated that it was the water seeping through the cracks in the road that caused his vehicle to lose control, a fact corroborated by NBC’s replay footage. His No. 88 Chevrolet then slid onto the grass and got stuck, triggering a yellow flag and costing him a lap. However, he earned a free lap at the end of the second stage, quickly getting back into the lead lap with his car still performing strongly.
In the upcoming races, Shane remains relentless, consistently keeping distance from the leading team. During the final restart, he launched from 18th place and swiftly navigated through the midfield. Some minor turbulence within the Hendrick team also aided his progress, and towards the end of the race, he even had a chance to break into the top ten once again.
In the end, Shane finished the race in the widest configuration of the fourth row, securing 11th place, missing the top ten by just 0.030 seconds. He was the standout driver among the three from the Trackhouse team, crossing the finish line alongside teammates Daniel Suárez and Ross Chastain, who took 12th and 13th places, respectively.
This time, his performance significantly improved his results at Talladega, where he previously finished 28th in his first outing in 2024, and 29th in an earlier race this year.
