Shane van Gisbergen wins second straight Sonoma race

Shane van Gisbergen solidified his reputation as NASCAR's premier road-course driver, winning at Sonoma Raceway for the second consecutive year on Sunday. The victory marked his second of the 2026 season and the eighth of his Cup Series career, all on road or street courses, breaking a tie with Chase Elliott for the most among active drivers.

Van Gisbergen, driving the No. 97 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing, started sixth and led 74 of the final 83 laps on the 1.99-mile circuit north of San Francisco. He held off a late charge from Chase Briscoe, who finished 0.357 seconds behind for his second straight runner-up finish at Sonoma. Polesitter Ty Gibbs, Kyle Larson, and Christopher Bell completed the top five.

Despite the dominant result, van Gisbergen and his team said the car was not initially competitive. Crew chief Stephen Doran employed a strategy of sacrificing stage points to maintain track position, a move that proved decisive. Van Gisbergen said he felt his car was average at the start of the race but gained confidence as others struggled. He credited his team's strategy and his own ability to manage his tires for the win.

Briscoe mounted a serious challenge in the final...