NASCAR Monday Mash-Up: Street sweeper Shane van Gisbergen

There were 41 entries for the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday. So, on Saturday, someone had to go home early.

Corey Heim hit the wall in qualifying and it killed his chances of making the field. Katherine Legge took the final open spot in he race and went on to finish P19.

Hamlin’s engine quits after less than a lap

As the Cup Series practice session started, Denny Hamlin was one of the first drivers out on the track. He was also the first one off. His engine blew up only a few turns into the run.

This put Hamlin in the back of the field for Sunday. He made no qualifying run as his team put a new engine in the 11 car.

Hendrick has qualifying nightmare

Speaking of qualifying, Hendrick Motorsports had a nightmare session. All four cars ended up with damage in practice, qualifying, or had another issue that required repairs.

So, all four Hendrick cars started in the rear of the field for Sunday. Only Alex Bowman was able to turn things around for a top-10 finish. Byron is losing his regular-season points lead, but his teammates, Elliott and Larson, are right behind.

SVG takes down Zilisch in epic duel

In the NASCAR Xfinity Series race, SVG and Zilisch did square off. They went toe-to-toe with two laps left in the race on a late-race restart. Surprisingly, it was the Kiwi, not the American, who initiated contact.

Zilisch said he expected cleaner racing. SVG has learned a few times that you can’t expect that in NASCAR, you have to give it. Even against teammates. Sonoma this weekend should be another fun battle between the two drivers.

NASCAR camera guy puts it all on the line

During the burnout that Shane van Gisbergen put down after the Xfinity race, he got VERY close to the cameraman. There is always a camera guy down on the track during the post-race celebration – it is not a safe job, exactly.

The Chicago Street Course is very narrow, but thankfully, SVG had his car right where he needed it. Damn he is so good at those burnouts.

Carson Hocevar causes NASCAR traffic jam

There were a few cautions for cause. None were as impactful as Carson Hocevar’s wreck on Lap 4 of the race. Multiple cars piled up and a few drivers were out of the race as a result before things really got started.

That was the only big wreck in the sense that multiple cars were involved. Cody Ware took a massive hit with two laps to go into the Turn 6 tire barrier.

Joey Logano calls Ross Chastain a ‘mother….’

Every time Joey Logano and Ross Chastain get near each other, it usually produces fireworks. These two do not get along on the track and likely not off it either.

Not only did Logano call Chastain a ‘motherf***er’ but he called for him to be penalized after the race. He says that Chastain intentionally retaliated against him when the two went back and forth, slamming into each other between corners.

Clean sweep in Chicago for SVG

A clean sweep. Shane van Gisbergen went out and dominated the NASCAR Chicago Street Race. Michael McDowell led the first 31 laps before a mechanical issue took him out, but SVG claims that he wasn’t really pushing that early into the race. Two poles, two wins. Swept.

Two wins on the season and another road course this weekend at Sonoma. He won the Xfinity Series race in wine country last year. Could he go for another sweep? SVG will once again race for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series on top of his Cup Series duties.