Xfinity Series: Shane van Gisbergen dominates the streets of Chicago

Written by Bailey Defoor

Credit: Logan Riely / Getty Images

Shane van Gisbergen is the king of the streets of Chicago and takes the win after a late race restart against teammate Connor Zilisch.

As it unfolded

SVG takes the pole on the streets of Chicago with Austin Hill on the front row. SVG clears for the lead immediately as Hill falls back to third and Sheldon Creed moves up to third.

Nick Sanchez swept around the inside of Sammy Smith for seventh on lap 2 and took the place.

Creed also went to the side of SVG to challenge for the lead, but Creed overdid the entry into turn 7. SVG was able to do the up and under to retake the lead.

On lap 3, Ryan Sieg slowed after contact with the wall but was able to make it to pit road.

A caution comes out on lap 5 for Jack Perkins spun from seventh and backed into the wall, suffering rear-end damage.

Still under caution on lap 7, William Sawalich stopped under caution with an electrical issue.

SVG and Creed led the way back on lap 8, and SVG easily cleared for the lead again. 

Sam Mayer made a pass on Sanchez to break into the top five on the restart lap. 

Zilisch also breaks into the top 15 on lap 9 after starting in 35th place. Zilisch was unable to qualify after suffering a crash in practice. 

Connor Mosack goes off on lap 9 and bumps the wall. Mosack was able to get going, but the car was sparking.

Perkins also limped back to pit road with a destroyed back end with five to go in the stage.

Some drivers opt to pit to flip the stage. This includes drivers like Jesse Love, Brandon Jones, Taylor Gray and Thomas Annunziata. 

With two to go a caution is called as Brad Perez hits the tyre barrier and takes them to the end of the stage.

Stage 1 Results:

1. No. 9 - Shane van Gisbergen (JR Motorsports

2. No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team)

3. No. 21 -  Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing)

4. No. 41 - Sam Mayer (Haas Factory Team)

5. No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing)

6. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)

7. No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports)

8. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports)

9. No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports)

10. No. 07 - Alex Labbe (SS-Green Light Racing)

Many drivers pit under the stage caution, but SVG stayed out.

SVG and Jeb Burton line up for the restart on lap 19. Once again, SVG easily clears for the lead as Christian Eckes gets on J. Burton’s bumper. Love did the switch-up and got ahead of J. Burton and Eckes in turn 8.

By lap 24, SVG had a gap of about 8 seconds to Love in second place. 

Also on lap 24, Matt DiBenedetto hit the tyre barrier at turn 1 and brought out the third caution.

Some drivers pit under the caution, including SVG. Creed takes the lead alongside Love. Just before we could go back to green, Josh Bilicki stopped on track with a fire.

For the restart with two to go, Creed clears for the lead. 

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team)

2. No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing)

3. No. 21 -  Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing)

4. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports)

5. No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports)

6. No. 27 - Jeb Burton (Jordan Anderson Racing) 

7. No. 11 - Josh Williams (Kaulig Racing)

8. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)

9. No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)

10. No. 70 - Thomas Annunziata (Cope Family Racing)

Some drivers pit, but many choose to stay out. Creed and Love line up again for the restart on lap 35. Creed gets the jump on Love as Zilisch looked to sweep around Love but thought better of it. SVG also surged from 11th to seventh on the restart lap.

Thomas Annunziata hit the tyre barrier at turn 2, and Gray stopped to avoid contact but was hit into Annunziata. Bother were able to continue, but caution was called for debris.

On lap 37, Creed and Hill led the way back to green with Zilisch and Love directly behind them. Creed pushed Hill into the wall slightly, but got ahead for the lead. Zilisch moved up to second. 

Parker Retzalff spins around as Zilisch takes the lead before the end of the restart lap. 

While Zilisch extended his lead to about two seconds, SVG broke into the top five, and by lap 40, SVG was in third.

SVG passed Creed on lap 41 and began charging towards teammate Zilisch.

On lap 43, Justin Allgaier reported brake issues and pitted from 13th. 

Caution thrown on lap 44 as Andre Castro gets stuck in the tyre barrier at turn 6. 

The two weekend favorites line up alongside each other for the restart with two laps to go. Zilisch takes the outside, and SVG takes the inside. 

Zilisch gets ahead but doesn’t clear SVG. SVG sends Zilisch deep in the corner of turn 1 and takes the lead.

Zilisch was right on SVG’s bumper throughout the last lap, but this was Shane van Gisbergen’s race.

Provisional Results

1. No. 9 - Shane van Gisbergen (JR Motorsports) [FL]

2. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports)

3. No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team)

4. No. 21 -  Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing) 

5. No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing)

6. No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing)

7. No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports)

8. No. 41 - Sam Mayer (Haas Factory Team)

9. No. 32 - Austin Green (Jordan Anderson Racing)

10. No. 44 - Brennen Poole (Alpha Prime Racing)

11. No. 11 - Josh Williams (Kaulig Racing)

12. No. 07 - Alex Labbe (SS-Green Light Racing)

13. No. 25 - Harrison Burton (AM Racing) 

14. No. 26 - Dean Thompson (Sam Hunt Racing)

15. No. 16 - Christian Eckes (Kaulig Racing)

16. No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports)

17. No. 70 - Thomas Annunziata (Cope Family Racing)

18. No. 31 - Blaine Perkins (Jordan Anderson Racing)

19. No. 10 - Daniel Dye (Kaulig Racing) 

20. No. 28 - Kyle Sieg (RSS Racing)

21. No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)

22. No. 24 - Kaz Grala (Sam Hunt Racing)

23. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)

24. No. 4 - Parker Retzlaff (Alpha Prime Racing) 

25. No. 71 - Ryan Ellis (DGM Racing + JIM)

26. No. 14 - Connor Mosack (SS-Green Light Racing) 

27. No. 27 - Jeb Burton (Jordan Anderson Racing) 

28. No. 99 - Matt DiBenedetto (Viking Motorsports)

29. No. 50 - Preston Pardus (Pardus Racing Inc.)

30. No. 45 - Brad Perez (Alpha Prime Racing)

31. No. 51 - Jeremy Clements (Jeremy Clements Racing)

32. No. 19 - Jack Perkins (Joe Gibbs Racing) +4 laps

33. No. 35 - Andre Castro (Joey Gase Motorsports) +7 laps

34. No. 54 - Taylor Gray (Joe Gibbs Racing) [DNF]

35. No. 91 - Josh Bilicki (DGM Racing x JIM) [DNF]

36. No. 42 - Anthony Alfredo (Young’s Motorsports) [DNF]

37. No. 18 - William Sawalich (Joe Gibbs Racing) [DNF]

38. No. 39 - Ryan Sieg (RSS Racing) [DNF]

39. No. 5 - Kris Wright (Our Motorsports) [DNS]

40. No. 53 - Sage Karam (Joey Gase Motorsports) [DNS]

Next week, NASCAR Xfinity heads to Sonoma! Tune in Saturday, July 12, at 15:30 EST (20:30 BST).