Shane van Gisbergen delivered another dominant road course performance at Watkins Glen International, capturing the Go Bowling at The Glen in commanding style. The New Zealand driver showcased his precision and composure across 90 laps, leading a race-high 38 circuits and finishing over 11 seconds ahead of Christopher Bell. The win marked his fourth straight road course triumph in the NASCAR Cup Series, tying Chase Elliott for second-most consecutive victories on such tracks and keeping him firmly in the spotlight as the postseason draws near.
Key Highlights
-
Shane van Gisbergen scores fourth straight Cup Series road course win
-
Victory margin of 11.116 seconds over Christopher Bell
-
Ties Chase Elliott for second-longest road course win streak; record held by Jeff Gordon
-
Ryan Blaney leads 35 laps but finishes sixth
-
Playoff spots tighten with two regular-season races remaining
Shan Van Gisbergen’s Commanding Performance
At Watkins Glen, van Gisbergen’s mastery was unmistakable. Driving the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, he took the lead during the final stage and never looked back, executing flawless laps through the challenging 11-turn layout. He became only the second driver in series history, alongside Dan Gurney, to claim his first five Cup Series wins exclusively on road courses. This weekend’s victory was made sweeter by Trackhouse Racing’s announcement of his multiyear contract extension, signaling a long-term commitment between driver and team. His performance underscored a rare blend of calculated aggression and racecraft that continues to leave his rivals searching for answers.
“Good to get that one back. What an awesome race. Coming back through the field after my final pit stop, I had a lot of fun. The car was just amazing again. Another win. Awesome.” – Shane van Gisbergen
With wins earlier this year at Mexico City, Chicago, and Sonoma, van Gisbergen now shares the series lead in victories with Denny Hamlin. His road course prowess has also shattered the rookie win record, cementing his reputation as the driver to beat whenever the Cup Series turns right.
Battling Behind the Leader
While van Gisbergen’s performance left little doubt about the winner, the fight behind him brought drama of its own. Christopher Bell secured second place after a late-race pass on Chris Buescher, who had bested van Gisbergen in last year’s Glen race. Bell’s finish was encouraging yet tinged with frustration over the sizable gap to the No. 88.
“The cars have been good. Really awesome to have a good day, but frustrated to get our butts kicked by the 88 car doing such a great job.” – Christopher Bell
Buescher, holding onto the final playoff berth by 34 points over teammate Ryan Preece, salvaged third after claiming Stage 1 honors. William Byron, the regular-season points leader, finished fourth, expanding his advantage over teammate Chase Elliott in the standings. Elliott’s 26th-place finish marked his first result outside the top 20 this season. Chase Briscoe rounded out the top five, overtaking pole-sitter Ryan Blaney in the closing laps.
Playoff Stakes Intensify
The Watkins Glen race tightened the playoff picture considerably. Thirteen drivers have already secured their postseason berths through victories. Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman, and Buescher currently hold provisional spots via points. Behind the cutoff line, Ryan Preece and Kyle Busch face mounting pressure with only Richmond Raceway and Daytona International Speedway remaining before the playoffs.
The playoff bubble remains volatile, with the possibility of a new winner at either of the final regular-season events capable of reshuffling the field entirely. Kyle Larson’s early brake issue and last-place finish highlighted the fine margins at play — one mechanical setback can erase weeks of momentum.
Go Bowling at The Glen – Full Results
| Fin | No | Driver | Laps | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 88 | Shane Van Gisbergen | 90 | — |
| 2 | 20 | Christopher Bell | 90 | 11.116 |
| 3 | 17 | Chris Buescher | 90 | 11.825 |
| 4 | 24 | William Byron | 90 | 16.218 |
| 5 | 19 | Chase Briscoe | 90 | 17.182 |
| 6 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | 90 | 17.320 |
| 7 | 99 | Daniel Suarez | 90 | 21.508 |
| 8 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 90 | 28.496 |
| 9 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 90 | 28.805 |
| 10 | 1 | Ross Chastain | 90 | 31.995 |
| 11 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger | 90 | 32.249 |
| 12 | 43 | Erik Jones | 90 | 32.392 |
| 13 | 60 | Ryan Preece | 90 | 32.872 |
| 14 | 22 | Joey Logano | 90 | 32.911 |
| 15 | 3 | Austin Dillon | 90 | 33.518 |
| 16 | 2 | Austin Cindric | 90 | 33.687 |
| 17 | 38 | Zane Smith | 90 | 37.567 |
| 18 | 77 | Carson Hocevar | 90 | 40.282 |
| 19 | 71 | Michael McDowell | 90 | 40.286 |
| 20 | 48 | Alex Bowman | 90 | 42.632 |
| 21 | 4 | Noah Gragson | 90 | 43.514 |
| 22 | 8 | Kyle Busch | 90 | 45.994 |
| 23 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 90 | 46.833 |
| 24 | 35 | Riley Herbst | 90 | 47.191 |
| 25 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | 90 | 47.290 |
| 26 | 9 | Chase Elliott | 90 | 47.512 |
| 27 | 7 | Justin Haley | 90 | 50.717 |
| 28 | 34 | Todd Gilliland | 90 | 51.599 |
| 29 | 51 | Cody Ware | 90 | 58.890 |
| 30 | 10 | Ty Dillon | 90 | 61.026 |
| 31 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | 90 | 63.904 |
| 32 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek | 90 | 66.882 |
| 33 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | 90 | 66.888 |
| 34 | 41 | Cole Custer | 90 | 69.914 |
| 35 | 21 | Josh Berry | 90 | 72.552 |
| 36 | 78 | Katherine Legge | 89 | 1 lap |
| 37 | 66 | Josh Bilicki | 89 | 1 lap |
| 38 | 44 | JJ Yeley | 89 | 1 lap |
| 39 | 5 | Kyle Larson | 75 | 15 laps |
News in Brief: 2025 Go Bowling at The Glen Results
Shane van Gisbergen secured his fourth straight NASCAR Cup Series road course victory at Watkins Glen, dominating the Go Bowling at The Glen by leading 38 laps and finishing 11.116 seconds ahead of Christopher Bell. Chris Buescher, William Byron, and Chase Briscoe completed the top five. Playoff battles intensified as Ryan Blaney fell to sixth after leading early, and Kyle Larson exited early with brake issues. With two races left before the playoffs, Richmond and Daytona loom large. Watch the Cook Out 400 at Richmond, Saturday, Aug. 16, 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network.
ALSO READ: Shane van Gisbergen Dedicates Watkins Glen Victory to Father After Family Heartbreak
