Shane van Gisbergen's Road Course Dominance Continues at Watkins Glen

Shane van Gisbergen redeemed himself from disappointment last year at Watkins Glen International and continued his road course win streak in the NASCAR Cup Series, dominating the Go Bowling at The Glen on Sunday.

Race Results: NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen

One year ago, Van Gisbergen battled with Chris Buescher for the win on the final lap of the race, and a miscue through the bus stop chicane opened the door for Buescher to take the win.

There was no such drama on Sunday. "SVG" crossed the finish line more than 11 seconds ahead of runner-up Christopher Bell, giving him plenty of breathing room as he approached the finish of Sunday's race.

"Good to get that one back," said Van Gisbergen. "Thank you to everyone for coming out. What an awesome race. That last bit was a bit cleared out, but the battle coming back through, I had a lot of fun.

"Thank you to WeatherTech and Trackhouse, the car was just amazing again to get another win. I definitely gave that bus stop wall another meter on that last lap or so."

The win is also a special one for Van Gisbergen, with his father in attendance. This weekend was the first time father and son had seen each other since the holidays, and they are looking forward to spending time together in the coming weeks.

"It's just amazing to have him here," Van Gisbergen said. "It's been a very tough year for Dad. Yeah, he hasn't been able to travel, so to have him here for the next three weeks and share this with him, it's amazing."

Earlier this week, Van Gisbergen signed a multiyear contract extension with Trackhouse Racing, locking in his place with the team heading into the 2026 season and beyond. Now with four wins in the 2025 season, only Jeff Gordon has won more consecutive NASCAR Cup Series road course events than Van Gisbergen in the series' history.

"That's the stuff you dream about, right? I'm just a very lucky guy to be able to drive for a bunch of amazing people and just execute, man. The day just went flawlessly. I can't believe it. I really enjoyed it."

With those four wins, Van Gisbergen is currently the second seed for the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. While a relative newcomer still learning the ropes of oval racing, the playoff points he has accrued in his four road course victories give him a leg up on the competition when the Playoffs begin at Darlington Raceway on August 31.

"It ain't gonna be easy, that's for sure," said Van Gisbergen. "The first round is some very difficult left-hand tracks for me. I'm getting better at it, and I'm enjoying myself. It's a challenge, you know, but that's why we're here, and we'll give it a proper crack."

Christopher Bell finished second, followed by Chris Buescher, William Byron and Chase Briscoe. Ryan Blaney, who led 35 laps and started on the pole, finished sixth.

Next week, the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Richmond Raceway for the Cook Out 400. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 16 on USA Network, the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

-Photo credit: Sean Gardner/Getty Images