Kiwi driver Shane van Gisbergen wins NASCAR's Watkins Glen International
Photo:
SEAN GARDNER / AFP
New Zealand driver Shane van Gisbergen remains the king of the NASCAR road courses.
Van Gisbergen has
won his fourth race this season
, scoring a comfortable victory in the Watkins Glen International in New York.
The 36-year-old has dominated the road course races this season. He has won in Mexico, Chicago, Sonoma and now Watkins Glen in the last two months.
Van Gisbergen started second on the grid and was among the front runners for the entire race before clearing out to score an 11-second victory over Christopher Bell with Chris Buescher third.
He finished second to Buescher in the 2024 race at Watkins Glen.
"Good to get that one back," van Gisbergen said track side after the race.
"The car was just amazing again, to get another win, awesome."
Van Gisbergen's mother died recently, and he said it was special to have his father at the track.
"It's amazing to have him here, it has been a tough year for dad and he hasn't be able to travel so to have him here for the next three weeks and share this with him is amazing."
Van Gisbergen joins Denny Hamlin with the most wins this season with four and Monday's result moves him up to second in the NASCAR play-off standings.
This weekend he also signed a new contract with his team Trackhouse Racing.
"I'm just a very luck guy to drive for an amazing bunch of people and just execute. The day just went flawlessly and I can't believe it."
To progress during the play-offs, van Gisbergen will need to improve his racing on ovals, but he was optimistic.
"Who knows, it isn't going to be easy, but I'm getting better at it and I'm enjoying myself.
"It's a challenge but that's why we're here and we'll have a proper crack."
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