SHANE van GISBERGEN
No. 16 Wendy's Camaro ZL1
Shane van Gisbergen qualified 17th the for Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Van Gisbergen and his Wendy’s Ride or Fry team started the 188-lap event from 17th. Content to learn his way around the 2.66-mile Superspeedway, Van Gisbergen sat 33rd on lap 10. Getting more comfortable as the laps clicked away, SVG worked his way to 20th by lap 35 and was scored in first when the Wendy’s team made its first green flag pit stop on lap 44. Following the stop, Van Gisbergen cycled to 27th on lap 46 and ended the stage in 23rd on lap 60.
Following a pit stop for four tires and fuel under the stage one break, SVG restarted stage two in 17th on lap 67 and was scored as the leader of the field on lap 69. He dropped to ninth on lap 70, continuing to battle two-by-two in the draft. Van Gisbergen was a mainstay inside the top-10 from laps 90-100, working his way to fifth by lap 97 and advancing to leading lap 98. The Wendy’s team made a green flag pit stop for fuel only on lap 103 from eighth. Following the stop, SVG rejoined the field in 28th on lap 105. Content on riding out the rest of the stage, Van Gisbergen took the green/white/checkered flag in 25th on lap 120.
Van Gisbergen and his Wendy’s team started the final stage 29th. The first caution flag of stage three waved on lap 134 with SVG scored in 14th. The Wendy’s team hit pit road under the caution for fuel only and restarted in fourth on lap 140. Another caution flag waved on lap 157, with SVG scored in 15th. Following varying strategies on pit road, the Wendy’s team restarted in 29th with 28 laps remaining. Van Gisbergen and the Wendy’s team finished 28th following a wild, last-lap caution at the finish.
"It was an interesting day for this No. 16 Wendy’s team. Very different from the Xfinity race, as far as the way the car drives. We got to run up front for a couple of laps, so that was fun. All-in-all a good day for this Wendy’s group. I had a lot fun." - Shane van Gisbergen