Driving for Kaulig Racing, the Kiwi clipped the inside wall entering the Bus Stop chicane and got loose. That allowed his RFK Racing rival to get to the bumper of the #16 Chevrolet Camaro and move him out of the way at the downhill right-hander.
Buescher, driving the #17 Ford Mustang, duly took his first NASCAR Cup Series win of the season – upstaging van Gisbergen in one of the all-time great road course race finishes in the series’ history.
Van Gisbergen had dominated the race to the last lap, adding to his frustration, which he expressed to broadcaster NBC Sports ahead of his return to The Glen this weekend.
“Yeah, that race still gives me the shits,” van Gisbergen told reporters.
“When I make a personal mistake like that, it still makes me angry to think I threw that one away myself.
“Especially after how good of a day it was, and we had the fastest car all day – and then do that.
“I really want to go there and make no mistakes and have a fast car and try execute all day, which we have been doing on the road courses. It would be good to continue doing that.”
Van Gisbergen will be part of a Trackhouse Racing quartet alongside Ross Chastain, Daniel Suarez and wildcard Connor Zilisch.
“I just hope we’re fast,” said van Gisbergen.
“We’ve got four good road course guys next week and I’m sure Connor will be up the front.
“Hopefully our cars are good again and it’s one of us battling for it.”
Van Gisbergen will do the double at The Glen, racing in the Xfinity Series on Sunday at 5am AEST in the #9 JR Motorsports Camaro and then the #88 Trackhouse Racing Camaro in the Cup Series on Monday at 4am AEST.
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