SVG shines with equal-best oval finish at North Wilkesboro

The result equals van Gisbergen’s efforts earlier this year at Nashville Superspeedway in almost identical circumstances when qualifying was rained out and gave SVG a good starting spot.

The driver of the #97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Camaro shone in the opening leg, coming up just short of the Stage 1 win behind the #54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry of Ty Gibbs.

SVG backed that effort up with fifth in Stage 2 before closing out Stage 3 with a top-five run.

The race was won by Joey Logano, who controlled Stage 3 to take victory in the #22 Team Penske Ford Mustang ahead of a resurgent Denny Hamlin in the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Camry.

“Hell yeah, what a night,” van Gisbergen radioed to his crew.

“Good job guys.”

JOEY LOGANO TAKES THE VICTORY AT @NWBSpeedway 🔥🏆 pic.twitter.com/FUOrjjcc17

— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) July 20, 2026

After his hair-raising Stage 1 finish, van Gisbergen lined up second for the start of Stage 2 alongside Logano. Van Gisbergen tried to mount an attack for the lead but found himself fading as the stage wore on.

Just as van Gisbergen was about to head to the lane in the midst of green flag pit stops, the caution came out on Lap 183.

That was triggered by Alex Bowman in the #48 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro coming across the nose of 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick in the #45 Camry. They spun, and Bowman collected the inside wall approaching pit entry.

Once the field was cleansed, Logano led Hamlin to the Lap 194 restart ahead of Blaney and van Gisbergen.

Major WRECK between Alex Bowman and Tyler Reddick in Stage 2 😬 pic.twitter.com/La0ZxMeI73

— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) July 20, 2026

The caution came out again on Lap 199 when Christopher Bell in the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Camry got loose entering Turn 3 and slid up into the side of Josh Berry’s #21 Wood Brothers Racing Mustang, who did a 180-degree spin and slapped the outside wall.

Racing resumed on Lap 207. Van Gisbergen ran the high line and cleared Hamlin for second but soon had the #77 Spire Motorsports Camaro of Carson Hocevar on his outside.

Van Gisbergen looked like he might threaten Hocevar for third but wound up battling to keep Hamlin behind. He overtook van Gisbergen on Lap 234 and then a hard-charging Briscoe got by the Kiwi.

Van Gisbergen gained a place with four laps to go in Stage 2 with a pass on Hocevar but lost out to Bubba Wallace on the last lap of the stage.

Logano won Stage 2 ahead of Hamlin, Briscoe, Wallace, van Gisbergen, Hocevar, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Todd Gilliland and Daniel Suarez.

“The balance was really good, just starting to fade,” said van Gisbergen under the yellow.

“I feel like I’m really strong early.”

Stage 3 started on Lap 276. Van Gisbergen spent the lion’s share of Stage 3 jockeying for positions in the top five.

Before the final round of pit stops, Logano led Hamlin, Briscoe, Wallace, Blaney and van Gisbergen.

Green flag pit stops began in earnest on Lap 360 when Hamlin pitted from second. Logano reacted and pitted a lap later.

Van Gisbergen pitted on Lap 365, ending a 90-lap green flag run.

Once the pit stops shook out, Logano led Hamlin by just a few car lengths. On corrected order, van Gisbergen was fourth behind Briscoe.

Blaney, meanwhile, was effectively taken out of contention for speeding entering pit road.

Van Gisbergen held fourth for the bulk of the final green flag run until 25 laps to go when Gibbs got to the inside to take the place away.

At the head of the field, Logano navigated traffic and a late charge from Hamlin to win by eight tenths of a second. Briscoe was third, Gibbs fourth and van Gisbergen fifth.

Results: NASCAR Cup Series Window World 250, North Wilkesboro