Fresh off his Xfinity victory, Shane van Gisbergen wins the 2025 Grant Park 165 Chicago NASCAR Cup Series race to round out a successful weekend.
Racing through the heart of downtown Chicago, the world’s top stock car drivers navigated the 2.2-mile, 12-turn circuit in a contest marked by strategic brilliance, dramatic incidents, and a relentless pursuit of victory.
From the drop of the green flag, Shane van Gisbergen who had previously made history on the very circuit, started from pole position in the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet but the opening laps proved that nothing in NASCAR is ever guaranteed.
Michael McDowell, starting from the outside of the front row, surged ahead at the start and snatched the early lead, establishing himself as a formidable contender.
However, the opening stage was not without incident. On just the third lap, a major collision involving Carson Hocevar triggered a massive eight-car crash that blocked the track between Turns 10 and 11, resulting to a stoppage of 14m42s.
Among those affected were Ty Dillon, Brad Keselowski, Daniel Suarez, Todd Gilliland, Riley Herbst, and Will Brown. The incident not only reshuffled the running order but also set the tone for a race where survival would be as important as speed.
As the field regrouped, drivers and teams recalibrated their strategies, knowing that the street course’s unforgiving layout would demand both precision and adaptability.
McDowell’s aggressive yet calculated driving allowed him to maintain the lead through the first 20 laps, ultimately securing the Stage 1 victory. Meanwhile, Van Gisbergen opted for an early pit stop on lap 18, a move that would prove crucial as the race unfolded.
As the race transitioned into Stage 2, Van Gisbergen resumed his charge toward the front thanks to his pit strategy.
However, it was Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney who capitalized on the changing race dynamics. With both van Gisbergen and AJ Allmendinger pitting before lap 45, Blaney seized the opportunity to lead and ultimately claimed the Stage 2 win.
The final stage was a showcase of endurance, tactical prowess, and raw speed as Van Gisbergen made ground through the top ten with ease. However, Josh Berry spun and slammed the wall damaging his car.
The caution was pivotal as McDowell gave up the lead to Van Gisbergen after his throttle got stuck. Ty Gibbs emerged as Gisbergen’s primary challenger alongside Tyler Reddick, but the No.88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet was too fast.
As the race entered its closing laps, Van Gisbergen had established a lead of more than two seconds but the unpredictable nature of street racing meant that no advantage was truly secure.
On the penultimate lap, Cody Ware’s Rick Ware Racing Ford collided with the Turn 6 tire barrier, prompting a caution.
In a dramatic twist, van Gisbergen managed to reach the start/finish line to begin the final lap before the caution was officially called, allowing him to maintain his lead and ultimately take the checkered flag under yellow as the 2025 Grant Park 165 Chicago NASCAR Cup Series race winner.
This victory marked his second Cup Series win at Chicago, his second win of the season, and the third in his NASCAR Cup Series career.
Van Gisbergen wins over the weekend were historic. By sweeping both the Cup and Xfinity Series races from the pole position over the weekend, he matched a feat accomplished only once before by Kyle Busch at Indianapolis in 2016.
“What an amazing weekend for me,” said van Gisbergen. “Lucky guy to drive some great cars. I thank Trackhouse, WeatherTech Chevy and all these guys and girls here, what an amazing weekend.
“Thanks everyone for coming out, and hope we put on a good show.”
Behind van Gisbergen, Ty Gibbs delivered a career-best performance after finishing second while Tyler Reddick rounded out the podium, continuing his streak of strong road course finishes.
Denny Hamlin, starting from the back of the grid, executed a remarkable recovery drive to finish fourth ahead of Kyle Busch who completed the top five.
AJ Allmendinger delivered his best finish at the Chicago Street Course, coming home in sixth place while Ryan Preece, Alex Bowman, Austin Hill and Ross Chastain rounded out the top ten.
