Shane van Gisbergen is determined to avoid a repeat of his disappointing finish at Watkins Glen from last year when the NASCAR Cup race brought heartbreak despite strong performance. The renowned driver heads into Sunday’s event focused on executing flawlessly on the 2.45-mile road course, hoping to leverage his outstanding road racing form this season to claim victory. This year’s race, returning to the regular season schedule, still promises high stakes and intense competition.
Reflecting on Last Year’s Critical Moment
Last September, Chris Buescher overtook van Gisbergen on the final lap after van Gisbergen failed to navigate the bus stop section cleanly, a mistake that continues to weigh heavily on him. Van Gisbergen acknowledged this error publicly, expressing frustration over squandering a day when he had the fastest car on the track.
“When I make a personal mistake like that, it still makes me angry to think I thrown that one away myself, especially after how good of a day it was and we had the fastest car all day and then to do that,” —Shane van Gisbergen, Driver
“I really want to go there and make no mistakes, have a fast car and try and execute all day, which we have been doing on the road courses.” —Shane van Gisbergen, Driver
Unmatched Road Course Dominance This Season
Van Gisbergen has demonstrated exceptional skill on road courses, having won the last three Cup road course events, including Sonoma, the Chicago Street Race, and Mexico City. Throughout these races, he led an impressive 64.2% of the laps contested, underscoring his command on these challenging tracks. His win in Mexico City stands out as one of the most dominant victories in modern NASCAR history with a margin of 16.5 seconds, the largest on a road course since 1979 and the biggest in any Cup race since 2009.
His competitor and fellow driver Kyle Larson recently praised van Gisbergen’s road racing talents, recognizing a unique driving style that sets him apart from the rest of the field.
“And he’s got his own technique, you can call it. Not his own because the rest of the world does it – you know, right-foot braking, clutching and all that stuff. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks … like there’s zero chance I can learn how to do that. And even if I did, like there’s zero chance that I can have it be better than what I’m probably doing with left-foot braking. So yeah, he’s just so good.” —Kyle Larson, Driver
Strategic Differences Due to Calendar Shift
Scott Graves, van Gisbergen’s crew chief, expects the race dynamics to change compared to last year because Watkins Glen now appears in the regular season rather than the playoffs. Last season’s race was part of the playoff opening round, influencing drivers’ strategies significantly due to the pressure to earn points. This led to unusual tactics, such as teams focusing on stage points by staying out during the first stage, even though historically, winners of the opening stage at Watkins Glen have tended to finish poorly in the race.
In contrast to the previous year, fewer playoff drivers may prioritize stage points this time, since points pressure is reduced outside the playoffs. Buescher, who was not a playoff participant last year but now sits at the final playoff spot, faces different strategic imperatives along with his RFK Racing teammate Ryan Preece.
“I think you see this every year, whether it was Watkins Glen being in the playoffs last year or you get the (Charlotte) Roval, you’ll see the guys in the playoffs that need those points,” —Scott Graves, Crew Chief
“They go for the stage points and that … takes some of the guys out of contention in the final stage. I think it may not play out the same this year (as last year).” —Scott Graves, Crew Chief
“(Watkins Glen) is likely to race more like the other road courses we’ve seen this year and you’ll see more of a split of people going for points vs. going for the win.” —Scott Graves, Crew Chief
Implications for the Race and Playoff Standings
If Watkins Glen follows the pattern of other regular-season road course races, van Gisbergen could continue his winning streak, potentially capturing his fourth consecutive road course Cup victory. This achievement would place him among an elite group of drivers, joining Jeff Gordon with six straight wins and Chase Elliott with four.
Buescher’s position as the final playoff qualifier adds a layer of complexity to his and teammate Preece’s approach. The team must weigh the benefits of accumulating stage points against the pursuit of an outright race win, influencing how aggressively they race through each segment.
Given van Gisbergen’s dominant form and determination to avoid errors that cost him last year, the race at Watkins Glen is set to be a critical test of skill and strategy, with significant playoff implications and the chance for van Gisbergen to rewrite his Watkins Glen legacy.
