Van Gisbergen stars before last lap Atlanta wreck

Returning to the scene of his first NASCAR Xfinity Series podium a year ago, van Gisbergen briefly led the race on two occasions before being shuffled back in the final stage.

The defining moments of the race came in the closing laps when Ryan Blaney in the #2 Team Penske Ford Mustang and Daytona 500 winner William Byron collided.

Blaney slid up into the outside wall coming out of Turn 2 after contact with race leader Kyle Larson in the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro, which left Byron in the sister #24 Camaro with nowhere to go.

They made side-to-side contact and went spinning into the inside wall and wound up with race-ending damage.

That set up an overtime finish. Larson led the field to green with Ross Chastain on the inside in the #1 Trackhouse Camaro.

Not clear. Here’s what happened: https://t.co/ZNQdQONA6h pic.twitter.com/1Tl7XFgAXN

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 23, 2025

Larson had Christopher Bell in the #20 Toyota Camry pushing him while Chastain had Sprire Motorsports Carson Hocevar in the #77 Camaro on his tail.

The first key moment happened when Hocevar gave up on pushing Chastain and went to his outside heading into Turn 3, leaving Chastain without any friends on the low line.

Larson led the field to the white flag with Bell on his outside. They edged ahead of the field through Turn 1 and 2 before Hocevar arrived at speed.

Hocevar nailed the rear of Bell to push him clear of Larson before finding a hole to make it three-wide.

As they went three-wide into Turn 3, the race-ending wreck began behind them and the caution light came on.

Josh Berry got squeezed between Denny Hamlin and Ross Chastain. The #21 Wood Brothers Racing Mustang bounced off Chastain and into the #22 Team Penske Mustang of Joey Logano.

The ensuing chaos claimed several more cars, including Tyler Reddick in the #45 Camry for 23XI Racing, van Gisbergen in the #88 Camaro, RFK Racing’s Ryan Preece in his #60 Mustang, and Justin Haley in the Sprie Motorsports #7 Camaro.

In the end, van Gisbergen was classified 23rd. He finished Stage 1 in 22nd and Stage 2 in 15th.

Breaking down tonight’s Atlanta finish. pic.twitter.com/PjHUu2DnsO

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 24, 2025

Bell led at the time of the caution and was duly awarded the win ahead of Hocevar and Larson.

In total, the race featured 15 different leaders and 50 lead changes.

Among those frustrated at Hocevar for his last lap antics were Chastain and Team Penske’s #2 Mustang pilot Ryan Blaney.

The Cup Series rookie offered an apology, but not to either of the complaining drivers.

“First off, apologies to Larson and HMS and Mr H, everybody. They help us out a lot and I didn’t realise we weren’t racing back to the line,” said Hocevar.

“The last two nights were that way and I hit the #20 to get him out of the way and fill the middle and a little bit longer maybe we win the race.

“I normally ride in the back and run last and I tried to get a good decent finish. For how bad we were at Daytona, there was no riding.

“There’s some stuff I’ve got to learn and clean up a little bit but I feel like we put ourselves in the perfect opportunity to try and win a race.

“I’ve never had that opportunity before, especially on a superspeedway. Just a big thanks to everybody at Spire Motorsports, they deserve all the praise. I just get to hold the wheel and run wide open and try put myself in a decent spot. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the best spot.”

The NASCAR Cup Series resumes at Circuit of the Americas, the first road course race of the season, on March 3 (AEDT).

Results: NASCAR Cup Series Atlanta Motor Speedway, Ambetter Health 400