Shane van Gisbergen's hopes for another victory on the downtown Chicago street course were dashed after being knocked out of the rainy NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday. The unfortunate incident occurred when van Gisbergen was clipped by Chase Briscoe going into Turn 6 on Lap 25, resulting in heavy damage to his Kaulig Racing Chevrolet.
Following the collision, the race was temporarily halted to clear standing water from the track due to the rainy conditions. Despite the drivers returning to their cars after an hour, another weather cell passing over the course further delayed the race.
When the race resumed, Ty Gibbs led the pack, with Christopher Bell and pole-sitter Kyle Larson close behind. However, with a scheduled cutoff time of 9:20 p.m. EDT, completing the 75 laps and 165 miles seemed uncertain.
Van Gisbergen, who clinched a career-defining victory in Chicago last year by winning his Cup Series debut, expressed disappointment at being forced out of the race early. He had also triumphed in Saturday's Xfinity Series race on the challenging 2.2-mile course.
Despite winning the first stage on Sunday, van Gisbergen lamented the missed opportunity to compete until the end, stating, 'It’s a shame we couldn’t have a proper crack at it at the end.'
The wet Cup Series race marked NASCAR's second year on the Chicago street course. While the event is anticipated to return next season, the future of the weekend, which combines racing and music to attract new NASCAR enthusiasts, remains uncertain beyond 2025.
Unlike the previous year, when persistent showers disrupted the schedule, this year's race encountered no weather issues until the drivers were in their cars and ready to start. The rain began to fall at that moment, prompting teams to swiftly decide whether to switch to wet tires. The rain intensified around 17 laps into the race, ultimately leading to the stoppage.
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