NASCAR returned to the quarter-mile oval for the first time since 1971 and put on a blockbuster event, which was won by Hendrick Motorsport’s Chase Elliott.

Van Gisbergen rose one spot from 10th on the grid, bumping his way by RFK Racing driver Chris Buescher late in the race.

It was a solid showing for the Kiwi who earlier in the weekend claimed third in his heat race.

“I felt comfortable in the car right from the start of practice,” he told reporters post-race.

“We’ve had really good prep with Stephen [Doran] and Josh my spotter. I just felt good from the start and pushed on with it.

“It was pretty fun. I guess it’s like Martinsville because it’s a little bit of road course technique – it seems to suit me.”

Van Gisbergen chuckled at the chaotic nature of the 200-lap race, which was punctuated by seven yellow-flag interventions for several spins.

“It’s still new to me,” he said of the “rubbing’s racing” philosophy.

“Even at the last corner I bumped and run the #17 and I feel bad for stealing the spot off him, but that’s normal I guess.

“It’s pretty fun being able to hit people but not fun when you’re on the receiving end.”

For van Gisbergen, the non-points race offered him and his #88 Trackhouse Racing team an opportunity to galvanise.

The team has expanded for 2025 with the addition of van Gisbergen, with the lion’s share of team members coming across from the shuttered Stewart-Haas Racing organisation.

“It was awesome. It was such a good, low-stress way,” he said.

“Most of the guys on the #88 crew are all new people for Trackhouse. It’s a good way for us all to settle in and do a bit of team bonding I guess. Running well helps as well.”

The feature race was dominated by Elliott He led the opening stanza of the race before briefly surrendering the lead ot Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin

Ryan Blaney was the surprise packet, climbing through the field to finish second for Team Penske. He tried to usurp Elliott but ultimately couldn’t get close enough.

All told, Elliott led 171 laps.

“This environment is special,” said Elliott.

“This is a place that has a deep history in NASCAR. I think they deserve this event, truthfully.

“I hope we didn’t disappoint. It was fun for me at least, and we’ll hopefully come back here one day.”

Blaney said he didn’t have enough in his car to challenge Elliott.

“I’m not going to bulldog into him and get chased out of here with pitchforks,” Blaney said of NASCAR’s most popular driver.

“I just didn’t quite have enough right rear at the end to make a move on him.”

Elliott is the 26th different driver to win the Clash and the eighth different driver to win the event in the last eight years.

He is also the first driver to win in a Chevrolet since Jimmie Johnson did so in 2019. It was the sixth time the Clash has been won from the pole position.