The Trackhouse Racing driver qualified his #88 Chevrolet Camaro a lowly 31st in the 38-car field and struggled to make headway.
“I’ve got no rear,” van Gisbergen reported to his team over the radio during an earlier caution.
“Then it gets tight in the centre, but just no rear off [the corner].
“It’s everything. Lateral started going away. It’s also tight. I just have no grip. The rear burns off the most.”
At the end of Stage 1, van Gisbergen had made up one place to 30th after spinning on Lap 46.
Unlike others who suffered a puncture, SVG looped due to a lack of grip.
“What the hell, man,” van Gisbergen radioed to his team after spinning.
“I just have no grip, and then it just spun on me. I didn’t hit anything. Just have no grip, really tight, really tight, and then loose.”
Stage 2 was no better, having spent most of it trying to be in the Lucky Dog spot. Asked how he was faring, van Gisbergen described the race as “miserable” to his team.
All told, van Gisbergen finished 24th after something of a late surge.
“Not the way we wanted to finish our season, my Chevy lacked overall grip today,” van Gisbergen said post-race.
“Just something to work on and learn from as we prepare to come back here (Phoenix Raceway) next season.
“It’s been an epic year with my 88 team. Everyone put so much hard work into making it an unforgettable rookie season in the Cup Series.
“Already looking forward to getting next season started.”
Van Gisbergen ended his season with five race wins, all on road courses, on his way to 12th in the points.
He claimed Rookie of the Year honours, becoming the oldest ROTY winner since Andy Lally in 2011. Both van Gisbergen and Lally were 36 years old when they won the rookie honour.
The Kiwi is the first foreign-born driver to win the Rookie of the Year since Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya did so in 2007.
For more of the latest NASCAR news and analysis, visit Speedcafe US
Discussion about this post