Nascar Archives - Octane Photography

Jun 29

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Nascar, Sonoma, SVG

Van Gisbergen Goes Back‑to‑Back at Sonoma

For the first time since 2019, Sonoma Raceway has a repeat NASCAR Cup Series winner. Shane van Gisbergen returned to victory lane Sunday, defending his Toyota/Save Mart 350 crown with a commanding — and at times uncomfortable — performance for Trackhouse Racing. Van Gisbergen led 59 laps on the 1.99‑mile road course, but despite the familiar result, the reigning Sonoma winner said the feel behind the wheel was anything but. After describing last year’s Chevrolet as “not perfect,” he expected the team’s new body style to smooth out lingering issues. Instead, he said, it amplified them. “It did the opposite. It made them worse,” van Gisbergen admitted. “We were really hanging on, and Chase Briscoe at the end was really fast driving. I’m lucky it wasn’t two laps longer. He might have got us.” Even so, the New Zealander kept the field at bay, including Elk Grove native Kyle Larson, who spent most of the afternoon inside the top five and ultimately finished fourth. “I knew he was there,” van Gisbergen said. “We had some great racing at the start with Kyle, and I had a bit of speed on him then, but he was quick all day.” Sonoma’s blend […]

Jun 22

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Nascar, San Diego, SVG

Van Gisbergen Filthy about San Diego Race

A massive crash on Lap 32 dramatically altered Sunday’s NASCAR Cup race in San Diego, erupting as the field funneled into Turn 1. Front‑row starters Connor Zilisch and Austin Hill made contact when Hill overshot the corner and missed the apex, sliding up the track and into Zilisch. Both cars slammed the outside wall, and Shane van Gisbergen, running directly behind them, had nowhere to go and piled in. Hill radioed, “Sorry guys, locked up the rear brakes,” after the incident. The wreck destroyed both Trackhouse Chevrolets and heavily damaged Hill’s No. 33. A chain‑reaction collected several others — Daniel Suárez, Ryan Blaney, Michael McDowell, Riley Herbst, John Hunter Nemechek, and Ty Gibbs — with varying degrees of damage. NASCAR immediately threw the red flag to repair the Turn 1 wall. After roughly ten minutes, the race returned to yellow‑flag conditions. Van Gisbergen, visibly frustrated, declined to discuss the crash after exiting the infield care center, telling reporters to “ask the next guys.” He later called the car “unreal fast once the track rubbered up” and said he was “filthy” to leave San Diego with only one point. Looking ahead to another road course next week, he noted the challenge […]

Apr 30

by darren in Crash 0 comments tags: Nascar, Talladega, Wallace

Huge NASCAR Crash Talladega 2026

The Big One. A massive 26-car pileup on Lap 115 of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Super Speedway on April 26, 2026, which wiped out most of the field. The contact between Bubba Wallace and Ross Chastain triggered a chain reaction which caused significant damage to most of the field. All drivers were released with no serious injuries reported.

Sep 30

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Chevrolet, Nascar, SVG

SVG Grabs First NASCAR Oval Top 10

To call Shane van Gisbergen’s rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series a steep learning curve on oval tracks would barely scratch the surface. But on Sunday at Kansas Speedway, the road course ace finally conquered a major milestone—and he did it the hard way. Before the green flag even dropped for the Hollywood Casino 400, van Gisbergen’s No. 88 Trackhouse Racing team was hit with a series of penalties following pre-race inspection. NASCAR cited unapproved adjustments, resulting in the ejection of crew chief Stephen Doran, the loss of pit stall selection, and a stop-and-go penalty after starting from the rear of the field. Despite the setback, the three-time Supercars champion mounted a remarkable comeback, clawing his way to his first-ever top-10 finish on an oval in the Cup Series. “It was difficult to start a lap down and have that penalty,” van Gisbergen said. “But Chais Eliason, our interim crew chief, did a great job.” SVG’s race began in chaos—serving the penalty on Lap 1 and falling two laps down during Stage 1. But the New Zealander stayed focused. A free pass on Lap 91 brought him back onto the lead lap, and from there, the charge was on. […]

Sep 26

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Logano, Nascar

NASCAR considering eliminating playoffs system

NASCAR Reconsiders Full-Season Format, Playoffs May Be Scrapped NASCAR is reportedly weighing a dramatic shift in its championship structure: eliminating the playoff format entirely and returning to a traditional 36-race full-season points system, according to The New York Times. This approach, last used in 2003, would mark a significant departure from the current model that emphasizes high-stakes elimination rounds. What began earlier this year as a fringe proposal has gained surprising momentum among some of the sport’s most influential decision-makers. When NASCAR’s Championship Format Committee convened in February, only one member advocated for scrapping the playoffs. By the latest meeting on September 17, that idea had garnered substantial support, with several prominent voices pushing for a return to the consistency-driven system. Still, not everyone is ready to abandon the playoff concept. Some committee members favor retaining a modified version, aiming to address long-standing criticisms while preserving the drama that playoffs bring. Proposed changes include adjusting how playoff points are awarded, increasing the value of race wins, and even reimagining the final championship round. One suggestion—a four-race finale—seeks to strike a balance between fairness and excitement. Track presidents have also weighed in, noting that fan engagement tends to spike during playoff […]

Aug 10

by darren in Crash 0 comments tags: Infinity, Nascar, Zilisch

Zilisch and SVG Come Together Battling for Watkins Glen Win

Battling for the victory at the 2025 Mission 200 at Watkins Glen International, JR Motorsports teammates Connor Zilisch and Shane Van Gisbergen came together, resulting in a hard crash for SVG, driver of the No. 9 Kubota Chevrolet.

Aug 10

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Nascar, van Gisbergen, Xfinity

Van Gisbergen suffers violent Watkins Glen crash while leading

Shane van Gisbergen’s hopes of another NASCAR Xfinity Series win at Watkins Glen were dashed when contact from his JR Motorsports teammate Connor Zilisch sent him into the wall. Van Gisbergen was leading the race with 18 laps to go when Zilisch in the #88 Chevrolet Camaro went around the outside of the #9 at the penultimate turn. Zilisch ran wide and upon returning to the traditional racing line, the left front of his car clipped the right rear of van Gisbergen’s and sent him spinning. The Kubota-backed car made heavy contact with the outside SAFER barrier and ended his day early. “I’m okay. Car’s not,” van Gisbergen radioed. “Not ideal. I’m pretty gutted really,” said van Gisbergen after being released from the infield care centre. “Gutted for the JR Motorsports guys. Our car wasn’t great, but we still managed to get ourselves in a good position. “Looked great. Kubota had some cool guests here. But yeah, pretty average way to end it. “I haven’t seen it yet. I’ll watch it later and work it out, but I don’t know yet.” Prior to the crash, van Gisbergen had been playing defence. The Kiwi had been struggling with an overall lack […]

Aug 09

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Nascar, Trackhouse, van Gisbergen

Van Gisbergen Inks Multi-Year Extension with Trackhouse Racing

Shane van Gisbergen is living out one of motorsport’s most remarkable modern fairytales—trading Supercars for NASCAR and thriving in a way few could have predicted. Following in the footsteps of fellow Aussie legend Marcos Ambrose, the Kiwi has carved out a stunning career on American soil. His NASCAR journey began in electrifying fashion in 2023, when he stunned the racing world by winning on debut in a last-lap thriller on the streets of Chicago, driving Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91 Camaro. In 2024, van Gisbergen made the full-time leap to the U.S., competing in the Xfinity Series and leaving his Supercars legacy behind. By 2025, he had graduated to the Cup Series as a rookie—and wasted no time making history. With victories at Mexico City, Sonoma, and a triumphant return to Chicago, van Gisbergen tied the record for most wins by a rookie in a single season. His rapid rise has prompted Trackhouse Racing to lock in the 36-year-old with a multi-year contract extension. And for van Gisbergen, the feeling is mutual. “Trackhouse Racing feels like home,” he said. “They gave me the chance to race in Chicago back in 2023. That was just a one-off deal, but everything that’s happened […]

Jul 07

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Chicago, Nascar, van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen completes perfect Chicago weekend

It was hot in Chicago this week, but Shane van Gisbergen was even hotter. The road course ace roared to the lead on Lake Shore Drive and ran away from the field in a nine-lap shootout, winning Sunday’s third annual Grant Park 165, the NASCAR Cup Series’ Chicago Street Race. The Trackhouse Racing driver, who won Saturday’s Xfinity Race and the Cup race’s pole, got his number 88 Chevrolet past leader Chase Briscoe with 16 laps left and had a 2.5 second lead over Ty Gibbs before a caution on the final lap gave him his second win of 2025. The victory was the Auckland, New Zealand native’s third in 33 career starts and helped Chevrolet to sweep three victories in the streets of Chicago. He started the weekend by winning the pole for the Sunday race. The 36-year-old Supercars champion then backed up his first career Cup victory in the Second City in 2023 by doing it again. “What an amazing weekend for me,” said van Gisbergen, who led 26 laps and dominated the series last month on Mexico City’s road layout. “We made no mistakes, and there were some really fast cars.” Van Gisbergen said the weather was […]

Jul 06

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Chicago, Nascar, SVG

Van Gisbergen storms to Xfinity win

Shane van Gisbergen capitalised on a late race restart to successfully defend his 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series win in Chicago in stunning fashion. Having dominated the early stages, an unfortunate break threatened to derail van Gisbergen’s quest to go back-to-back, however it was a trademark charge through the field that saw him win his first Xfinity start of 2025. Van Gisbergen started second on the final restart with two laps to go, and muscled past JR Motorsports and Trackhouse stablemate Connor Zilisch at Turn 1, winning by 0.823s. It capped off a remarkable day for the Kiwi, who also claimed pole position for both the Xfinity race and tomorrow morning’s Cup Series race. “Yeah unreal, I thought it was going to be a lost cause when the strategy went wrong, but it worked out well,” said van Gisbergen in victory lane. “Thanks to JR Motorsports, the car was a rocket, WeatherTech, Red Bull, unreal day. Awesome day.” It was a much tougher day for Jack Perkins, who barely got into the race before it all unravelled for the 38-year-old. Having started a fine fifth in his first NASCAR start, Perkins dropped back two places in the opening laps before being […]