In what was another clinic by the Kiwi, Shane van Gisbergen would go on to win his fifth career Cup Series victory and the fourth of the 2025 season. Four makes Shane the winningest rookie in Cup Series history and also ties him for second most road course wins in a row, tied with Chase Elliott. Jeff Gordon’s record sits at five in a row.
Ryan Blaney would take the green on the Pole and lead until the pit cycle, allowing Chris Buescher to score the Stage 1 win. Blaney would make up for it in Stage 2, winning that Playoff Point and the 10 Stage Points. Kyle Larson would have a hell of a day, and not in a good way, after having major braking issues in the early going. He would be relegated to a dead last finish, 15 laps down in 39th. Only four cars would finish off the lead lap: Larson, 15 down, with Legge, Bilicki, and Yeley all just a single lap down.
Several drivers would have spectacular days rolling later into the race, only for those to be taken away. Kyle Busch was having one of his best afternoons in weeks until he was caught up with Denny Hamlin following a restart. Busch would finish 22nd. Alex Bowman would earn the second-most Stage Points of the afternoon but finish 20th. Ty Gibbs was solidly in contention for the race win late in the race until pit strategy, followed by a horrible pit stop, would result in a 33rd place finish.
SVG would lead the most laps with 38, followed closely by Blaney with 35 laps led. Chase Briscoe would lead six laps. The RFK duo of Buscher and Keselowski would lead five apiece, with their teammate Preece leading a single lap.
Drivers with solid days were Buescher, who would finish third with a Stage win; that run puts him over Bubba Wallace for 10th in the standings. Speaking of Bubba, he would finish P. 8 at one of his worst tracks. Christopher Bell has been silent for the last several weeks, but 8 Stage Points and a second-place finish are a significant step in the right direction for the 20 team. Daniel Suarez would finish 7th for his first top 10 since Texas, 13 weeks ago.
SVG now looks to the Playoffs with 22 Playoff Points, enough to quite possibly sneak him into the second round… With the Roval.
The Playoff bubble sits like this: Reddick +117, Bowman +60, & Buscher +34. Preece -34, Busch -102, Gibbs -125. With two races to go, we have the potential for only a single car getting in on points. So for those of you who say points are meaningless, think again.
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