WATCH: Noah Gragson Pulls Off Incredible Save at NASCAR Chicago

CHICAGO — Noah Gragson pulled off a spectacular save during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165, narrowly avoiding disaster on the treacherous Chicago Street Course.

The No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford driver, competing in the In-Season Challenge, faced a harrowing moment on Lap 42 in Turn 6, a notorious trouble spot.

As Gragson braked late into the corner, his car slid toward the tire barrier, but he deftly counter-steered, keeping his Mustang off the wall and maintaining a competitive pace. Despite the near-miss, Gragson’s day ended in disappointment, finishing 30th after losing ground in a late-race melee, eliminating him from the In-Season Challenge against Ryan Preece.

The race, won by Shane Van Gisbergen in the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, marked the New Zealander’s second victory of 2025 and his third career Cup win. Van Gisbergen, starting from pole, led 26 laps and navigated a chaotic final restart, pulling away from Ty Gibbs to secure the win under caution after Cody Ware’s crash in Turn 6 on the penultimate lap. The victory completed van Gisbergen’s weekend sweep, having also won Saturday’s Xfinity Series race, matching Kyle Busch’s 2016 Indianapolis feat as the only drivers to sweep both series from pole in one weekend.

Stage 1 saw Michael McDowell dominate, leading 31 laps in his No. 71 Ford before a throttle issue sent him to the garage, ending his day in 32nd. Ryan Blaney claimed Stage 2, staying out during a strategic pit cycle to earn crucial playoff points, finishing 12th overall. The race, marked by seven cautions and a massive Lap 3 pileup involving Carson Hocevar, Brad Keselowski, and others, underscored the 2.2-mile street course’s unforgiving nature.

Gragson’s save, while not enough to salvage his In-Season Challenge hopes, drew praise across social media for its skill, with fans noting his ability to “thread the needle” under pressure. The 26-year-old, in his first season with Front Row Motorsports after stints at Legacy Motor Club and Stewart-Haas Racing, showed flashes of potential despite a challenging 2025, with only one top-10 finish. His Chicago effort highlighted his growth on road courses, where he previously finished 14th in 2024.

The Cup Series now heads to Sonoma Raceway for the Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 on July 13, the third of five road course races in 2025. With van Gisbergen’s road course mastery on display, drivers like Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell, who finished third and 37th in Chicago, will look to challenge him at Sonoma, where the In-Season Challenge continues.

NASCAR got put on blast for some poor decision making on Sunday.

Noah Gragson had quite the save on Sunday.

More Reading

Post navigation

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *