On this holiday weekend NASCAR travels to Chicago for some street racing. The Xfinity Series kicks off a double header weekend with the The Loop 110.
Forty teams brought cars to Chicago for 38 starting spots.
Several drivers had issues on the course during practice getting into the tire barriers with a few having to move to a backup car. Shane van Gisbergen topped the leaderboard in practice after Connor Zilisch got into the tire barrier with a brake lockup.
Like typical road course qualifying, the drivers have been divided into two groups and will have 20 minutes to make their best lap to set the lineup.
With a brake line issue, Sage Karam will not make a qualifying run. Ryan Sieg, Connor Zilisch, and Taylor Gray will also not make a qualifying run due to issues during practice.
Not surprising, Shane van Gisbergen outruns the field in Group 1.
This weekend is race start number 150 in the Xfinity Series for Jeb Burton.
With a time of 90.085 seconds Shane van Gisbergen puts his number nine car on the pole. Austin Hill will start alongside on the front row.
Kris Wright and Sage Karam failed to qualify for the race.
Shane van Gisbergen said that he was surprised that he made the pole.
The lineup for The Loop 110:
Shane van Gisbergen
Austin Hill
Sam Mayer
Sheldon Creed
Jack Perkins
Justin Allgaier
William Sawalich
Nick Sanchez
Jesse Love
Sammy Smith
Brandon Jones
Preston Pardus
Carson Kvapil
Alex Labbe
Harrison Burton
Connor Mosack
Austin Green
Matt DiBenedetto
Jeremy Clements
Thomas Annunziata
Daniel Dye
Brennan Poole
Blaine Perkins
Parker Retzlaff
Josh Bilicki
Brad Perez
Josh Williams
Anthony Alfredo
Andre Castro
Kaz Grala
Jeb Burton
Ryan Ellis
Dean Thompson
Kyle Sieg
Connor Zilisch
Taylor Gray
Ryan Sieg
Christian Eckes
Stages one and two are 15 laps each with stage three lasting 20 laps for a total of 50 laps around the streets of Chicago.
The Zac Brown Band will be performing after the race.
Austin Hill is on pit road with possible radio issues.
Shane van Gisbergen brings the field down for the green flag start of the race on a hot Saturday afternoon with Austin Hill alongside. SVG gets pit om front for the lead with Sheldon Creed in second.
Lap two, Shane van Gisbergen has a near half second lead with Sheldon Creed in second; Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier, and Sam Mayer round out the top five.
Sheldon Creed moves up to battle with SVG for the lead but Shane holds him off.
Ryan Sieg has a tire rub.
Lap five, Shane van Gisbergen holds on to a half second lead on Sheldon Creed; Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier, and Nick Sanchez round out the top five.
The caution flag comes out on lap six when Jack Perkins backs it into the wall.
Leader Shane van Gisbergen is reporting possible engine issues.
William Sawalich is stopped on the course with a smoking car with a possible electrical fire.
A few drivers come down pit road for service.
Brandon Jones has been black flagged due to a radio issue.
Shane van Gisbergen brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap seven with Sheldon Creed alongside. Van Gisbergen holds on to the lead with Sheldon Creed in second; Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier, and Nick Sanchez round out the top five.
Lap nine, after starting the race from the back of the field, Connor Zilisch is inside the top 15.
Connor Mosack gets into the tire barrier but gets the car moving again slowly with a flat tire.
Lap eleven, Connor Zilisch has entered the top 10!
Some of the drivers are short pitting the end of stage one and making their pit stops.
Taylor Gray was caught speeding on pit road and will have to serve a passthrough penalty.
With three laps remaining in stage one, Shane van Gisbergen has a lead of over a second on Sheldon Creed; Austin Hill, Sam Mayer, and Nick Sanchez round out the top five.
Brad Perez gets into the tire barrier to bring out the caution flag.
Shane van Gisbergen wins stage one under caution.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Shane van Gisbergen
Sheldon Creed
Austin Hill
Sam Mayer
Nick Sanchez
Justin Allgaier
Sammy Smith
Connor Zilisch
Carson Kvapil
Alex Labbe
All five of the JR Motorsports drivers are in the top 10.
Drivers come down pit road for service with Sheldon Creed winning the race off of pit road but not all of the drivers made a stop.
Shane van Gisbergen brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Jeb Burton alongside on lap 18. SVG holds on to the lead.
After several drivers stayed out on the track, Sheldon Creed restarted the race in 13th.
Lap 19, the top five are Shane van Gisbergen, Jeb Burton, Christian Eckes, Jesse Love, and Josh Williams.
Connor Zilisch had a long pit stop after the crew pulled some spring rubbers out of the car. He is in the top 20 in 16th.
Lap 21, Shane van Gisbergen has a lead of three and a half seconds on Jesse Love; Jeb Burton, Christian Eckes, and Josh Williams round out the top five.
Lap 22, Shane van Gisbergen has led every lap so far and is over six seconds out in front of Jesse Love; Jeb Burton, Josh Williams, and Sheldon Creed round out the top five.
Lap 23, in a “driving it like he stole it” moment, Shane van Gisbergen has a lead of over seven seconds on Jesse Love.
Lap 24, the top five are Shane van Gisbergen, Jesse Love, Sheldon Creed, Jeb Burton, and Austin Hill round out the top five.
Matt DiBenedetto gets into the tire barrier but pulls away and keeps going.
During the pit stop, Nick Sanchez had an controlled tire penalty, but has recovered to enter the top 20.
The caution flag comes out on lap 24 for debris on the track – tire carcass from Matt DiBenedetto’s car.
Leader Shane van Gisbergen makes his pit stop; one of only a few drivers. He still reports “an engine gremlin”. He comes back on the track in 19th place.
Josh Bilicki is stopped on the track with a fire. He is out of the car.
Sheldon Creed brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 28 for a two lap shootout to the end of stage two.
The top five are Sheldon Creed, Jesse Love, Austin Hill, Jeb Burton, and Josh Williams.
Connor Zilisch passes Josh Williams for fifth.
Sheldon Creed wins stage two. This is Sheldon Creed’s first stage win since August of last year at Darlington.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Sheldon Creed
Jesse Love
Austin Hill
Connor Zilisch
Sammy Smith
Jeb Burton
Josh Willaims
Justin Allgaier
Brandon Jones
Thomas Annunziata.
Shane van Gisbergen ended stage in 13th.
A few of the drivers come down pit road for service.
Shane van Gisbergen’s cool suit has stopped operating. He noted earlier that “kiwi’s don’t like the heat.”
Sheldon Creed brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three on lap 34 with Jesse Love alongside. Creed holds on to the lead. Thomas Annunziata gets into the tire barrier and brings out the caution flag with debris on the track. Taylor Gray gets into Annunziata.
The top five are Sheldon Creed, Austin Hill, Connor Zilisch, Jesse Love, and Sammy Smith. Shane van Gisbergen is up to seventh.
Sheldon Creed brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 37 with Austin Hill alongside. Creed edges out for the lead.
The top five are Sheldon Creed, Connor Zilisch, Austin Hill, Sammy Smith, and Jesse Love.
Parker Retzlaff spins out but the track stays green.
Connor Zilisch passes Sheldon Creed for the lead. Shane van Gisbergen is now in the top five.
Lap 38, the top five are Connor Zilisch, Sheldon Creed, Austin Hill, Sammy Smith, and Shane van Gisbergen.
Lap 39, Connor Zilisch has pulled out to a second and a half lead on Sheldon Creed.
Shane van Gisbergen passes Sammy Smith for fourth.
Lap 40, Connor Zilisch has a two and a half second lead on Sheldon Creed; Austin Hill, Shane van Gisbergen, and Sammy Smith round out the top five.
Shane van Gisbergen passes Austin Hill for third.
Ten to go, Connor Zilisch has a near three second lead on Sheldon Creed; Shane van Gisbergen, Austin Hill, and Sammy Smith round out the top five.
With nine laps to go, Shane van Gisbergen passes Sheldon Creed for second…and sets his sights on temporary teammate Connor Zilisch, four seconds out in front.
Taylor Gray is out of the race after not being able to make the minimum speed.
Lap 42, Shane van Gisbergen is slowly closing the gap on lead Connor Zilisch.
With eight laps remaining in the race, there is some question as to whether Connor Zilisch has enough fuel to make it to the end of the race. Shane van Gisbergen has plenty of fuel to make it.
Justin Allgaier has some brake issues; saying that he pushed it all the way to the floor.
Seven to go, Connor Zilisch’s lead is down to two and a half seconds on Shane van Gisbergen.
Shane van Gisbergen just ran the fastest lap of the day.
The caution flag comes out on lap 44 when Andre Castro gets into the tire barrier.
Connor Zilisch started the race in 35th place; over the course of the race, he has passed 123 cars so far.
Anthony Alfredo was caught speeding on pit road.
Justin Allgaier is on pit road with brake issues.
Connor Zilisch brings the field down for the green flag shootout to the end of the race with Shane van Gisbergen alongside with two laps remaining in the race. Shane van Gisbergen takes the lead with Connor Zilisch in second.
The top five are Shane van Gisbergen, Connor Zilisch, Sheldon Creed, Austin Hill, and Sammy Smith.
Shane van Gisbergen takes the white flag!
Shane van Gisbergen wins the race…again! He said it was a privilege to drive. He is the sixth driver to win for JR Motorsports; it has never happened before in the series. That makes 97 wins for JRM.
After an impressive burnout, it’s time to kick the football!
The unofficial results of The Loop 110:
Shane van Gisbergen
Connor Zilisch
Sheldon Creed
Austin Hill
Nick Sanchez
Jesse Love
Sammy Smith
Sam Mayer
Austin Green
Brennan Poole
Josh Williams
Alex Labbe
Harrison burton
Dean Thompson
Christian Eckes
Carson Kvapil
Thomas Annunziata
Blaine Perkins
Daniel Dye
Kyle Sieg
Brandon Jones
Kaz Grala
Justin Allgaier
Parker Retzlaff
Ryan Ellis
Connor Mosack
Jeb Burton
Matt DiBenedetto
Preston Pardus
Jeremy Clements
Brad Perez
Jack Perkins
Andre Castro
Taylor Gray
Josh Bilicki
Anthony Alredo
William Sawalich
Ryan Sieg