It’s never easy racing on road courses, even if Shane van Gisbergen often makes it look that way.
The former three-time Supercars champion won his NASCAR debut in last year’s Chicago Street Race, and he’s already won three races on road or street courses in his first season in the Xfinity Series.
It’s no stretch to say he’s the most feared road racer in NASCAR right now. That’s what made his late mistake so stunning in Sunday’s playoff race at Watkins Glen.
SVG on last-lap mistake: ‘Driver error’
After hanging near the front for much of Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen, van Gisbergen cycled back in the final stage but drove through the field late before taking his first lead from Chris Buescher after the final restart in overtime.
SVG was in command after the white flag dropped and just needed a clean lap to win the second Cup Series race of his career. But he knew Buescher was close behind and could initiate contact if he narrowed the gap between them.
READ MORE: Why Watkins Glen finish was unlike any other in NASCAR playoffs history
That’s when the heralded road racer made a fatal error coming into the “bus stop,” clipping the wall to give Buescher the window he needed to steal the inside track:
After the race, van Gisbergen blamed “driver error” for letting a second career Cup Series win slip through his fingers on the last lap.
“I knew Chris was really going to send it and push me if he could get there,” he said. “As I turned, I got a bit loose and clipped the inside wall … I’m gutted.”
It was also Buescher’s first win of the year after he narrowly missed the NASCAR playoffs when Chase Briscoe secured the final postseason berth by winning the season finale.
Will SVG reach Victory Lane in 2024?
While the New Zealander has already claimed three victories in the Xfinity Series, it’s been over 14 months since his incredible debut in Chicago, which remains his only Cup Series win to date.
He’s finished in the top 20 just twice since then, though he’ll have a better chance to pile up victories next year when he joins NASCAR’s top series as a full-time driver.
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For now, his best shot at victory in 2024 will come Oct. 13 in the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at the road course in Charlotte – the only non-oval left on the playoffs schedule.
Van Gisbergen won’t compete in the Saturday night race at Bristol Motor Speedway, which begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. It’ll be the final race of the Round of 16 before four drivers are eliminated.