New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen claimed his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory in Saturday’s Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland International Raceway. The popular Kiwi celebrated the hard-earned win with a burnout all the way around the 1.967-mile road course and then climbing out of his Chevy and topping it off by kicking a soccer ball into the thrilled crowd.
It was a popular win all-around for the 35-year-old three-time Australian Supercars champion, but he had to work for it. The series rookie — who won the inaugural Chicago Street Race in his first Cup Series start last summer – led laps early in the No. 97 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet but struggled with race restarts for much of the day.