Shane van Gisbergen charges from 29th to fifth at Martinsville
Shane van Gisbergen missed the Chase, but he continues to make gains on the ovals, earning a top-five finish at Martinsville Speedway. Van Gisbergen started 29th and didn't make it to the top ten until the final stage of the race, but he made much of his progress during the long green-flag runs. He was the only driver who started outside the top 20 to finish inside the top 10, and was set to ...…
Shane van Gisbergen, who missed the Chase, delivered a remarkable turnaround at Martinsville Speedway, climbing from 29th to a fifth-place finish. Although he didn't reach the top ten until the final stage, his progress was significant during the green-flag runs. Van Gisbergen was the sole driver who started outside the top 20 to finish inside the top 10, and he was poised to compete with teammate Ross Chastain for the top five before Chastain's pit stop error dropped him further back.
This victory marked Van Gisbergen's third-ever top five in the Cup Series, following fifth-place finishes at Nashville and North Wilkesboro earlier this year. The previous best at Martinsville was a 12th place finish as a part-time driver in 2024. Van Gisbergen expressed satisfaction with the result, attributing it to the effectiveness of his Trackhouse team throughout the race.
He also acknowledged his disappointment with his qualifying position, suggesting that starting up front might have given them a better chance. Despite the incident-ridden race, Van Gisbergen remained optimistic, stating that he is "getting there" with the support of his team. As of the Martinsville II NASCAR Cup, Van Gisbergen remains the highest-ranked driver outside the Chase field, leading teammate Chastain by 29 points entering the Homestead finale.
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