The New Zealander circulated around the edge of the top 20 for most of the 147-lap encounter but gained a net four positions in the 16-lap green flag run to the chequered flag.

With Practice and Qualifying washed out, the starting grid was set by the rulebook, meaning Cole Custer (#00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford) and Chandler Smith (#81 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) on the front row, and van Gisbergen lining up 17th in the #97 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet.

Custer took the early lead thanks in part to a big push down the back straight from AJ Allmendinger (#16 Kaulig Chevrolet), who slotted into second place.

A Competition Caution was called on Lap 20 due to lack of practice and qualifying, at which point Custer led by 4.1s from Allmendinger, and van Gisbergen sat 22nd.

All pitted and Austin Hill (#21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) took top spot, with Allgaier (#7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) second and van Gisbergen 18th, while Custer dropped to 33rd following a drama on the left-front of Car #00.

Allgaier took up the lead from the bottom lane at the Lap 26 restart, while van Gisbergen had dropped to 23rd on Lap 32.

It was much the same when Stage 1 finished on Lap 45, with Allgaier prevailing by 1.234s over Hill, and van Gisbergen sitting 22nd – but Custer had climbed back to 16th.

In the break, RCR got Hill first out of the pits again, with Allgaier second, Custer 12th, and van Gisbergen 19th.

Allgaier moved in front again when the restart came on Lap 53, this time from the top lane, as van Gisbergen slipped slightly to 21st by the end of Lap 57.

As much as 2.5s separated the top two at one point but Allgaier won Stage 2 by 0.728s in the end, with Custer 15th and van Gisbergen creeping back up to 18th.

After the stage break pit stops, it was still Allgaier and Hill top two, Custer 12th, and van Gisbergen 16th.

The race went green on Lap 99 then yellow again on Lap 101 when Hailie Deegan suffered a left-rear tyre blowout which ripped the bodywork apart on the #15 AM Racing Ford.

That left teams with a dilemma because, although they could make the finish on fuel, tyre wear was very high.

Nevertheless, none of the top 12 pitted and so Allgaier retained the lead from Hill, with Custer 11th and van Gisbergen 20th.

Allgaier chose top for the Lap 109 restart and again pulled clear of Hill, while van Gisbergen continued to run around the cusp of the top 20.

The fifth Caution of the afternoon came on Lap 123 when Parker Retzlaff (#31 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet) looked to have blown an engine, which may have explained the spin for Ryan Sieg (#28 RSS Racing Ford), a few cars behind, at Turn 1.

Pitting was the obvious call and all duly did, with Sam Mayer (#1 JRM Chevrolet) nabbing second place from Hill in the lane, Custer emerging fifth, and van Gisbergen 19th.

Allgaier again chose top for the Lap 132 restart, and again pulled clear as they exited Turn 2.

Hill and Custer rounded up Mayer over the next two laps as van Gisbergen continued to run 19th.

Allgaier cleared out to a 3.407s victory over Hill, with Custer third and Mayer fourth, while van Gisbergen made a penultimate lap pass to claim 15th.

With the All-Star Race next weekend, the Xfinity Series resumes on the weekend of Saturday, May 25 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

VIDEO: van Gisbergen debriefs Darlington NASCAR Xfinity race