A road course ringer won the Inaugural Grant Park 220 on streets around and in Grant Park in Chicago in his first ever NASCAR race.
The race on the streets of Chicago was delayed thanks to record breaking rain in Chicago Sunday, July 2nd. The race started 90 minutes late due to the heavy rainfall. When the race started the cars were running rain tires with tread on the still wet course. The wet conditions caused traction issues for the drivers throughout the race.
It appeared that Christopher Bell would be the car to beat. He won both the first and second stages of the race on his way to a race high 37 laps as the leader.
Because of the late start of the race, some drivers decided to pit early in the third stage. They were gambling on the likelihood that the delayed start of the race would cause it to end before the scheduled 100 laps were completed due to darkness. Their gamble paid off as NASCAR announced that the race would end on lap 75 since there was not adequate lights to continue the race after dark.
Shane van Gisbergen is a three-time Supercars Championship driver with 80 road course wins. He was brought in as a road course ringer by the Trackhouse Racing Team for this race. He was working his way toward the front through the third stage. He took the lead with four laps remaining in the race. A crash caused the race to go to a NASCAR Overtime of a green-white-checkered finish. Shane was able to hold the lead for the re-start and final two laps of the race.
The win gave Trackhouse Racing back-to-back wins after Ross Chastain won in Nashville. This was the first time in 60 years that a driver won in his first ever NASCAR race.
Justin Haley finished second with Chase Elliott taking home third. See the complete results for the Grant Park 220 here.
The top three in the point standings remain the same for another week with Martin Truex Jr. at the top followed by William Byron in second and Ross Chastain in third. See the complete NASCAR Cup Series point standings here.
Next up is the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway Sunday, July 9th.
(Feature photo credit: YouTube)
By: Buck Stevens
