The first time Shane van Gisbergen raced in Chicago, he was largely unknown in NASCAR. The second time, he was one of the favorites on the downtown street course.

The third time is a different situation for van Gisbergen once again. This time, he has a second Cup Series victory in his back pocket — providing some flexibility for the 36-year-old New Zealand native as he prepares for the playoffs.

“We’re in a nice position now having won a race,” van Gisbergen said Friday. “And it may change our strategy. If we’re in a position to get a playoff point, we’ll probably try and get that, but that’ll put us deep in the field for the next stage.

“So, yeah, there’s a bit of a toss-up there what we’re going to do, but it’s a nice position to be in.”

Sure is.

Just two years ago, van Gisbergen — a three-time champion in Australia’s Supercars — put on a dazzling show in a rainy first edition of NASCAR’s downtown Chicago experiment. Making the most of his extensive street racing experience, he became the first driver to win his Cup Series debut since Johnny Rutherford in the second qualifying race at Daytona in 1963.

He won Chicago’s Xfinity Series race last year and the first stage in the Cup race before he was knocked out by a crash.

“You know, I have great memories here,” van Gisbergen said. “This place has changed my life, so I’m going to have special memories of this place forever.”

Van Gisbergen’s success in Chicago led to a full-time Cup ride with Trackhouse Racing. But the driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet is learning his way around NASCAR, and he got off to a slow start this season.

While oval tracks remain a challenge, he certainly hasn’t forgotten his roots on street and road courses. He posted his second Cup win last month at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.

Van Gisbergen is scheduled to compete in both Chicago races this weekend. Next up for NASCAR is another road course at Sonoma Raceway, providing an opportunity to move up from No. 32 in the Cup standings and build some momentum.

“Road courses are just a bonus for us,” he said. “We know we’re going to be good and we can just focus on trying to get results there.”

NASCAR Chicago Street Race puts city — in a seemingly endless loop through the Loop — back on national stage

Even after two years, the downtown Chicago street course remains a tricky proposition. The 12-turn, 2.2-mile track is narrow and bumpy in spots — to go along with manhole covers and transitions from concrete to asphalt and back — and there is little room for error in some areas. Rain affected the action in each of the first two weekends, and there could be more showers Sunday.

Patience is sometimes the best approach, but that goes only so far in NASCAR.

“It’s easy to say that until Shane is out there a second faster than you and you have to go put yourself in some uncomfortable situations,” said Joey Logano, the reigning Cup Series champion.

When it comes to van Gisbergen on road courses, Logano said the rest of the Cup Series is “in a way, playing catch-up.” Van Gisbergen said he feels the same way about ovals.

“These guys have been doing left-handers since they were 10 years old,” van Gisbergen said. “You know, they’re two completely different sports, and although there has been road racing in NASCAR forever, it’s not that much.

“So, yeah, just the experience levels are different in what we do. And I feel like, yes, they’ve definitely gotten a lot better since the first one on this track, for sure.”

INDYCAR

Caio Collet continued his strong form this season and at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Saturday morning by leading pre-qualifying practice for the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio.

2024 series Rookie of the Year Collet, winner of the most recent race this season at Road America, earned his first career pole and victory in the INDYCAR development series last July at the 13-turn, 2.258-mile road course north of Columbus, Ohio. His best lap this morning was 1 minute, 10.0372 seconds in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports car. That’s quicker than the track-record lap of 1:10.2879 he set to win pole last July, but track records only can be set in qualifying or the race.

SEE: Practice Results

“It was a good practice,” Collet said. “Both the new-tire run and the push run, we were quite competitive. We got a good lap in, and I’m happy with that. Hopefully we can do a little improvement for qualifying and get the track record again.”

Up next is qualifying at 1:30 p.m. today, with the 35-lap race starting at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network will broadcast both sessions.

Championship leader Dennis Hauger was second for the second consecutive session this weekend, this time with a top lap of 1:10.0501 in the No. 28 Nammo car of Andretti Global. Callum Hedge also held station in third in the No. 17 Abel Motorsports entry, this time improving to 1:10:1586.

Just .1214 of a second separated Collet, Hauger and Hedge.

Salvador de Alba also stayed in fourth, dropping his time to 1:10.3364 in the No. 27 Grupo Indi machine of Andretti Global. Ricardo Escotto rounded out the top five at 1:10.5149 in the No. 3 Frank’s Red Hot car of Andretti – Cape Motorsport.

Lochie Hughes, leader of Friday’s practice, was sixth at 1:10.6199 in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship car of Andretti Global.

A red flag interrupted the 45-minute session just as it was reaching its crescendo with nearly every driver simulating qualifying runs on new Firestone tires. Nolan Allaer spun off course and backed into the tire barrier in Turn 9 in his No. 11 HMD Motorsports car, triggering a red flag with slightly more than five minutes left.

The track returned to green-flag conditions with only a minute remaining, leaving little time for more work.

 Danny Varin patiently waits his turn to get on the track at Fonda Speedway to run some hot laps with his no. 93 modified.

By Tom Coughlin

Here is the text cleaned up with natural paragraph breaks and edits for clarity and style.

For the Fourth of July weekend, there will be plenty to do. Tonight, Albany-Saratoga Speedway is “Honoring Our Military” with a special 60-lap modified feature paying $6,060. The pro stock and crate 602 sportsman divisions will also race for a winner’s purse of $1,060. Both Dodge City Speedway and Utica-Rome Speedway are off tonight.

Saturday is t-shirt giveaway night for the Fonda Speedway Kids Club, and the rained-out Leatherstocking Credit Union pro stock feature from last week is added to the show. It is also Palmer Service Center night, and their stable of race cars will be on display at approximately 3:00 p.m. in front of the Fonda Speedway Museum & Hall of Fame before the evening’s on-track activities begin.

On Sunday, Glen Ridge Motorsports Park will host the 500cc mini sprints and make-up races for the DIRTcar pro stock and limited sportsman divisions.

Next Friday, Dodge City Speedway will offer double points on Cookie Night sponsored by Adrenaline Rush. Utica-Rome Speedway will have “Christmas in July,” and Albany-Saratoga Speedway will present another DiCarlo’s Auto Body 358-modified Shootout.

In results from last Friday at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Felix Roy of Quebec, Canada won his first big block feature in the Next Generation Roofing DIRTcar modified 35-lap race, with Peter Britten and James Meehan completing the top three. Connor Crane earned the win in the Doug Wholey Ideal Excavating DIRTcar crate 602 sportsman feature over Drew Cormie and Joey Scarborough. Jordan Modiano claimed victory in the Saratoga Masonry Supply DIRTcar pro stock feature ahead of Kim Duell and Pete Stefanski. Other winners included Nick Arnold (Haun Welding limited sportsman), P.J. Cram (Cornell’s Auto Parts street stock), Daniel Joubert (single cam 4-cylinder), and Adam Montville (dual cam 4-cylinder). Unfortunately, Utica-Rome Speedway suffered a direct hit from a cloudburst around 3:00 p.m. and lost their entire program.

Several local drivers found success on the road. At Accord Speedway, Kirsten Swartz of St. Johnsville started 12th and won the 20-lap limited sportsman feature, while Bobby Hackel IV placed second in the modified feature. Darwin Greene earned a fifth-place finish in the modified feature at Penn-Can Speedway in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut, for the Liuna 150. Stewart Friesen of Sprakers had a teammate this week in the Halmar-Friesen stable with Wesley Slimp. During practice, Slimp’s Toyota Tundra caught fire, forcing him to a backup truck. In the main event, Slimp suffered mechanical issues with about ten laps to go, and Friesen suffered a flat tire on the last lap. Stewart was credited with a 23rd-place finish and Slimp 33rd. Friesen currently sits 11th in the season points standings.

Fonda Speedway attempted to host the Bill Ag. Modified Elimination Races on Saturday, but due to inclement weather, only a portion of the activities were held. Cody Clark set quick time during hot laps, earning $100 from the Dirt Modified Nostalgia Tour, and JaMike Sowle was presented the Bill Ag. Award. In the first two elimination rounds, Alex Yankowski won both, beating Cody Clark and then Rocky Warner. As Yankowski and Ronnie Johnson were preparing for round three, a steady rain forced the cancellation of the remaining events. The completion of the Bill Ag. races has been rescheduled for Saturday, August 2.

Prior to the rainout at Fonda, the Montgomery County Office for Aging limited sportsman feature saw Corky Warner earn the win over Mason Gray and Bobby Rhinehardt. In the Fonda Fair 4-cylinder feature, Ken Hollenbeck won the single cam division and Jay Ingersoll won the dual cam division.

At Oswego Speedway, Canajoharie resident Otto Sitterly earned the victory in the 50-lap ISMA/MSS big block super modified feature, scoring his 50th career checkered flag at the “Steel Palace.”

On Sunday at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, Lance Willix took the win in the DIRTcar 358-modified feature over Jordan McCreadie and Brian Pessolano. In the DIRTcar crate 602 sportsman makeup race, the win went to Fire Swamp. In the regularly scheduled sportsman feature, Zach Buff won the checkers over Tavien Blowers and Derrick McGrew Jr. Other winners included Slater Baker (DIRTcar pro stock), Bodie Marks (limited sportsman), Adam Montville (dual cam mini stock), Daniel Joubert (single cam mini stock), Justin House (All-Star slingshot), and Carson Hamlin (Junior slingshot).

Tim McCreadie of Watertown won his 37th career World of Outlaws-Late Model Series feature at Nodak Speedway in Minot, North Dakota.

The Super DIRTcar Series was in Canada on Sunday for the O’Canada 100 at Cornwall Motor Speedway. Mario Clair won, locking himself into the Super DIRT Week feature at Oswego. Area drivers’ finishes included Alex Yankowski (4th), Mike Mahaney (7th), Stewart Friesen (9th), Peter Britten (20th), and Jack Lehner (25th). On Monday night, the series returned to New York at Mohawk International Raceway, where Stewart Friesen held on for the win, with Mat Williamson, Peter Britten, and Alex Yankowski composing the top four.

Current Super DIRTcar Series points show Alex Yankowski leading Mat Williamson, with other area drivers in the top ten including Mike Mahaney (5th), Anthony Perrego (7th), Felix Roy (8th), Peter Britten (9th), and Jack Lehner (10th).

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