NASCAR Chicago Street Course Qualifying: van Gisbergen Dominates
Shane van Gisbergen secured pole position for the NASCAR Cup Series race at the Chicago Street Course, following a commanding performance during qualifying that saw him clock in nearly half a second faster than his closest rival. The Trackhouse Racing driver exhibited exceptional pace, with a lap time that highlighted his mastery of the course.
“I think the guys did a great job. The WeatherTech Chevy is driving good. I got some great cars today – Xfinity pole and Cup pole. It’s pretty special,” said van Gisbergen, reflecting on his successful day.
Joining him on the front row is Michael McDowell, with Carson Hocevar, Tyler Reddick, and Chase Briscoe rounding out the top five qualifiers. Notably, Briscoe, who holds the most pole positions this year, initially challenged van Gisbergen but ultimately fell short.
In the opening group, reigning Supercars champion Will Brown set an early fastest lap with a time of 1:31.045 before van Gisbergen reclaimed the top spot. The session ended dramatically, with Noah Gragson crashing into the wall, resulting in a broken toe-link but managing to avoid disrupting the other drivers.
Group B’s qualifying session saw challenges, including a spin by Bubba Wallace and lap-time losses due to brief contact with barriers. Nevertheless, van Gisbergen’s blistering pace remained unmatched, as he led his competitors by a substantial margin.
DNQ and Unexpected Upsets
In a rare occurrence, this event will feature a DO NOT QUALIFY (DNQ) scenario outside of the Daytona 500. Corey Heim faced elimination after a wall strike damaged his vehicle, making him vulnerable as he battled for a spot on the starting grid. Ultimately, Katherine Legge staged an upset by outperforming Heim by 0.138 seconds, securing her entry into the race.
Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Chase Elliott, along with Denny Hamlin, were unable to participate in qualifying due to issues sustained during practice. Byron crashed in the final moments, while Hamlin suffered an engine failure before even completing a lap.
As the stage is set for tomorrow’s race, all eyes will be on van Gisbergen as he aims to extend his dominance in the Cup Series.