Cup Series: Van Gisbergen dominates, Chastain puts it all on the line at Charlotte Roval

Written by Sean McKean

Credit: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images

In spite of the chaos behind, Shane van Gisbergen dominated at the Charlotte Roval on Sunday afternoon to take his fifth win of the season.

The final laps of the race were highlighted by the battle between Ross Chastain and Joey Logano, which came to a head at the final chicane of the race.

As it unfolded

From pole, Tyler Reddick led the way over Shane van Gisbergen. Further behind, Kyle Busch hit the outside wall in Turn 1 and suffered major right-side damage.

Van Gisbergen made his way into the lead on Lap 4. 

With tyre falloff a continuing issue today, a vast majority of drivers began their green flag stops on Lap 11. Chris Buescher and Tyler Reddick stayed out to save a set of tyres, but Van Gisbergen nonetheless cycled into the lead by Lap 20.

Van Gisbergen won the first stage. Kyle Larson and Ty Gibbs followed behind.

With his second-placed result in the stage, Larson mathematically advanced to the Round of 8.

Stage 1 Results:

1. No. 88 - Shane van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing)

2. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

3. No. 54 - Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing)

4. No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

5. No. 1 - Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing) [Playoffs]

6. No. 71 - Michael McDowell (Spire Motorsports) 

7. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

8. No. 9 - Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

9. No. 24 - William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

10. No. 10 - Ty Dillon (Kaulig Racing)

AJ Allmendinger led the way on Lap 30. 

Following a massive lock-up in the frontstretch chicane from Carson Hocevar, Austin Cindric again spun around and broke the toe-link on Lap 33. 

Green flag pit stops began this time on Lap 39 with Ryan Blaney. A few drivers stayed out to the end of the stage.

Blaney drove through to win the second stage. Tyler Reddick and Chase Elliott followed suit.

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske) [Playoffs]

2. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing) [Playoffs]

3. No. 9 - Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

4. No. 1 - Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing) [Playoffs]

5. No. 88 - Shane van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing)

6. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

7. No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

8. No. 22 - Joey Logano (Team Penske) [Playoffs]

9. No. 99 - Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing)

10. No. 41 - Cole Custer (Haas Factory Team)

Van Gisbergen quickly ran away on the Lap 56 restart.

The first caution for cause came out on Lap 58 for a crash by Austin Dillon. 

Van Gisbergen again controlled the restart on Lap 62. But only one lap later, Kyle Larson snuck by to take the lead for the first time whilst Christopher Bell moved into second.

Chris Buescher began green flag pit stops on Lap 68. The top two remained unchanged.

The final batch of pit stops underwent with 28 laps to go. Whilst stops began, Shane van Gisbergen took the lead from Larson on-track with 23 laps remaining. However, Larson maintained his lead once everything cycled through with Bell in second.

With only 16 laps remaining, Van Gisbergen – on fresher tyres – got by Bell and moved into second. In only two laps, Van Gisbergen caught Larson and began battling aggressively with Larson, thus allowing Bell to butt into the picture.

With 12 laps remaining, Bell pitted whilst Van Gisbergen finally passed Larson for the lead. Within three laps, Kyle Larson came down pit road. 

Van Gisbergen held on to take a dominant victory. Further back, Ross Chastain collided with Denny Hamlin in an attempt to gain a position on the cut-line but ultimately failed.

Provisional Results:

1. No. 88 - Shane van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing)

2. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

3. No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

4. No. 17 - Chris Buescher (RFK Racing)

5. No. 71 - Michael McDowell (Spire Motorsports)

6. No. 60 - Ryan Preece (RFK Racing)

7. No. 99 - Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing)

8. No. 9 - Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

9. No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing)

10. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing) [Playoffs]

11. No. 24 - William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

12. No. 54 - Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing)

13. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske) [Playoffs]

14. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

15. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing) [Playoffs]

16. No. 21 - Josh Berry (Wood Brothers Racing)

17. No. 34 - Todd Gilliland (Front Row Motorsports)

18. No. 48 - Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports)

19. No. 47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Hyak Motorsports)

20. No. 22 - Joey Logano (Team Penske) [Playoffs]

21. No. 1 - Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing) [Playoffs]

22. No. 41 - Cole Custer (Haas Factory Team)

23. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

24. No. 38 - Zane Smith (Front Row Motorsports)

25. No. 7 - Justin Haley (Spire Motorsports)

26. No. 42 - John Hunter Nemechek (Legacy Motor Club)

27. No. 10 - Ty Dillon (Kaulig Racing) +1 lap

28. No. 4 - Noah Gragson (Front Row Motorsports) +1 lap

29. No. 77 - Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports) +1 lap

30. No. 43 - Erik Jones (Legacy Motor Club) +1 lap

31. No. 3 - Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing) +1 lap

32. No. 66 - Josh Bilicki (Garage 66) +1 lap

33. No. 51 - Cody Ware (Rick Ware Racing) +1 lap

34. No. 8 - Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing) +9 laps

35. No. 6 - Brad Keselowski (RFK Racing) [DNF]

36. No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske) [DNF] [Playoffs]

37. No. 35 - Riley Herbst (23XI Racing) [DSQ]

Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace and Austin Cindric each see their playoff runs come to an end. The new playoff seeding looks as follows:

Provisional Playoff Standings:

1. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin: +8

2. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney: +6

3. No. 5 - Kyle Larson: +4

4. No. 24 - William Byron: +4

PLAYOFF CUT-LINE

5. No. 20 - Christopher Bell: -4

6. No. 9 - Chase Elliott: -14

7. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe: -14

8. No. 22 - Joey Logano: -24