New Zealand native Shane van Gisbergen stunned the stock-car racing world on Sunday by winning the Grant Park 220 in Chicago, the first street-course race in NASCAR's history.
In his first Cup Series start, van Gisbergen – a three-time Australian Supercars champion – won a two-lap, overtime shootout against Justin Haley.
The 34-year-old van Gisbergen passed Haley on the 2.2-mile, 12-turn Chicago Street Course before a late caution forced overtime.
He recorded the historic victory in the 78-lap outing after NASCAR chose to shorten the rain-delayed race by 25 laps due to a lack of daylight. It was originally 100 laps.
RETWEET to congratulate @shanevg97! ??
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 3, 2023
Shane van Gisbergen, three-time @supercars champ, WINS in his @NASCAR debut on the Streets of Chicago! pic.twitter.com/30CZAPvUUd
The Trackhouse Racing driver became the first driver to win in his series debut since Johnny Rutherford won at Daytona in 1963 in a qualifying race, which was considered a points race at the time.
van Gisbergen is the seventh driver all-time to win in his debut.
It was the second consecutive win for Trackhouse Racing, which won at Nashville last weekend behind Ross Chastain.
Following Haley were Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch.
England native and 2009 Formula One world champion Jenson Button ended up 21st.
Due to the extremely wet conditions and water buildup, NASCAR elected to start the 100-lap race in a single-file formation after a red-flag condition postponed the firing of engines for over an hour.
Christopher Bell grabbed his first stage win this season on Lap 20 – a non-caution stage – by leading Tyler Reddick by over two seconds with van Gisbergen trailing in third.
In the second stage, the trio – all running on rain tires – paced the way early in the segment with the Chicago skyline clearing up in the backdrop and the street course drying out.
After Alex Bowman's No 48 Chevy lost an engine, Bell also claimed Stage 2 by beating Larson to the fifth caution flag on Lap 44.
With only 18 circuits remaining, Reddick brought out the seventh caution when his No 45 Toyota got stuck in the tire barrier.
NASCAR CUP SERIES 2023 RESULTSSHANE VAN GISBERGEN TO THE LEAD!
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 3, 2023
IT'S HIS FIRST NASCAR RACE! pic.twitter.com/Vm1q6FAop6
Results for the Grant Park 220 of NASCAR Cup Series 2023 on Sunday Driver / number Team
1 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse 3 78 55 89 91 Racing Team
2 Justin Haley 31 Kaulig Racing 37 78 35 60
3 Chase Elliott 9 Hendrick 26 78 34 105 Motorsports
4 Kyle Larson 5 Hendrick 7 78 46 105 Motorsports
5 Kyle Busch 8 Richard 18 78 32 33 Childress Racing
6 Austin Cindric 2 Penske Racing 31 78 31 64
7 Michael McDowell 34 Front Row 6 78 42 60 Motorsports
8 Joey Logano 22 Penske Racing
9 78 29 64 9 Tyler Randal Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing 12 78 35 115 54
10 Chris Buescher 17 RFK Racing 15 78 27 40
11 Denny Hamlin 11 Joe Gibbs Racing 1 78 26 115
12 Aric Almirola 10 Stewart-Haas 24 78 25 73 Racing
13 William Byron 24 Hendrick 22 78 24 105 Motorsports
14 Corey LaJoie 7 Spire 19 78 23 25 Motorsports
15 Ryan Preece 41 Stewart-Haas 28 78 22 73 Racing
16 Erik Jones 43 Legacy Motor 21 78 21 33 Club
17 A.J. Allmendinger 16 Kaulig Racing 10 78 25 60
18 Christopher Bell 20 Joe Gibbs Racing 4 78 39 115
19 Todd Gilliland 38 Front Row 25 78 18 60 Motorsports
20 Chase Briscoe 14 Stewart-Haas 16 78 18 73 Racing
21 Jenson Button 15 Rick Ware Racing 8 78 17 28
22 Ross Chastain 1 Trackhouse 34 78 15 89 Racing Team
23 Josh Bilicki 78 Live Fast 27 78 0 0 Motorsports
24 Brad Keselowski 6 RFK Racing 20 78 13 40
25 Noah Gragson 42 Legacy Motor 23 78 12 33 Club
26 Andy Lally 51 Rick Ware Racing 30 78 11 28
27 Daniel Suárez 99 Trackhouse 5 78 19 89 Racing Team
28 Tyler Reddick 45 23XI Racing 2 78 26 32
29 Kevin Harvick 4 Stewart-Haas 35 78 8 73 Racing
30 Harrison Burton 21 Wood Brothers 32 78 7 7 Racing
31 Darrell Wallace Jr. 23XI Racing 14 78 6 32 23
32 Martin Truex Jr. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing 11 77 15 115
33 Ryan Blaney 12 Penske Racing 17 77 4 64
34 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty 36 77 3 3 47 Racing
35 Ty Dillon 77 Spire 33 67 2 25 Motorsports
36 Austin Dillon 3 Richard 29 62 1 33 Childress Racing
37 Alex Bowman 48 Hendrick 13 40 1 105 Motorsports
Notes: Gr-Grid position at the start; Dnf-Did not finish; DPt-Driver points; TPt-Team points