Driving for the Trackhouse Project91 team, the New Zealander applied his Supercars racing street circuit experience to good use to qualify his Enhance Health Camaro an impressive third fastest on the Chicago street circuit.
The race start was delayed by rain, but van Gisbergen revelled in the conditions, running no lower than fifth place early on. Later in the race the Trackhouse team got caught out on strategy, however, with van Gisbergen dropping to 20th after his final tyre change.
But a combination of a string on-track incidents and his own impressive and consistent pace saw van Gisbergen steadily rise through the order. For the final run home the Kiwi had vaulted to third place behind the Chase Elliot and Justin Haley Camaros; on fresher tyres courtesy of his later pitstop, van Gisbergen had little trouble overtaking both to go on to a lead he would hold till the chequered flag.
It was, van Gisbergen said afterwards, a dream come true.
“Thank you so much to the Trackhouse team and Enhance Health, Project91. What an experience in the crowd out here," he said after his history-making win. "This was so cool. This is what you dream of. Hopefully I can come and do more.
“...the racing was really good, everyone was respectful. It was tough but a lot of fun.”
When asked was he interested in a full time Nascar Cup drive, van Gisbergen replied: “I’m doing one more year in Oz and then I’d love to come over here.”
After a near-unprecedented record-breaking debut win, chances are that an offer from a NASCAR team will come, and that we are indeed seeing Gisbergen’s last season in a Red Bull Racing Commodore in the Repco Supercars Championship.
.jpg&q=70&h=226&w=176&c=1&s=1)
