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The Kaulig Racing driver is once again set for double duties across the second-tier Xfinity Series and Cup Series at ‘The Glen’, where he’s expected to star.
A second Cup Series win has been hard to come by for the Kiwi. A strong finish at the Circuit of the Americas was scuppered by a transaxle issue. Then, on the streets of Chicago, van Gisbergen was speared into a wall.
Nevertheless, expectations are high coming to Watkins Glen, where a decade ago two-time Supercars champion Marcos Ambrose made his last road course appearance in NASCAR with Richard Petty Motorsport.
Ambrose won twice at Watkins Glen in 2011 and 2012 (pictured below). He also won four Xfinity Series races at The Glen.
“I can’t wait to see SVG at the high-braking Watkins Glen track,” said Kevin Harvick on his podcast Happy Hour.
“I think back to Marcos Ambrose and just how dominant he was there because he could brake so much better.
“And even in a piece of crap car, he could make you look so bad.
“And so Watkins Glen is just… it is that place where if you’re just a great under the braking, if you’re a great braker, Watkins Glen is the place that you can really shine.”
A win for van Gisbergen would be detrimental to any of the playoff contenders, depriving them of a “win and you’re in” chance to automatically advance to the Round of 8.
If not van Gisbergen, then there are a handful of drivers Harvick said should do well.
They include Hendrick Motorsport trio Kyle Larson, William Byron, and Chase Elliott as well as the Toyotas of Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Ty Gibbs, and Tyler Reddick.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series race starts at 5am (AEST) on Sunday while the NASCAR Cup Series race is scheduled to start at 5am (AEST) on Monday.
