What a strange sequence of events. On Lap 81 of Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, Erik Jones had a tire go down, and had begun to slow up on the track. However, as Jones was in trouble, Shane van Gisbergen, who was closing in on where Jones was running on the track, had the engine detonate on his No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet.
Here is a video of SVG’s engine expiring:
UP IN SMOKE.
Shane van Gisbergen’s night is done. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/VQ8bKwFddn
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 25, 2024
It’s a less than exciting end to what was a very big day for van Gisbergen. The 35-year-old New Zealander will officially go full-time NASCAR Cup Series racing in 2025 with Trackhouse Racing in a third Chartered entry. The car will feature the iconic No. 88.
On Friday, Trackhouse Racing and Zane Smith, who has been driving in the Cup Series under contract by the team on loan to Spire Motorsports, announced that they had mutually decided to part ways at the conclusion of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season. The departure of Smith paved the way for Trackhouse to officially announce SVG as the driver of the newly acquired third charter.
