Connor Zilisch collided with Shane Van Gisbergen during the closing laps of the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen International on August 9, 2025. The contact sent van Gisbergen’s car hard into the wall, ending his race on the spot.The clip was uploaded on X by motorsports account Rubbin is Racing. It was captioned:“ZILISCH AND SVG GET TOGETHER BATTLING FOR THE LEAD! SVG CRASHES HARD!”The video captured the moment Zilisch’s car hit the right rear of van Gisbergen’s No. 9 Chevrolet. The impact left van Gisbergen’s machine with heavy rear damage and a loose front wheel.The footage shows the pair battling for the lead in the final stages. Zilisch, driving aggressively into the corner, overshot the turn and made contact with van Gisbergen. The three-time Supercars champion’s car slammed into the outside barrier, ending what had been a strong run.Shane Van Gisbergen, who started on the outside of the front row, settled into second behind Zilisch early in the race. The first caution came after contact between Josh Bilicki and Ryan Sieg. On the restart, van Gisbergen dropped to third behind William Sawalich before retaking the position. JR Motorsports opted for an alternate pit strategy, bringing both drivers in on lap 18.After the stage break, Shane Van Gisbergen climbed back to second, right behind Zilisch. He later took the lead with 31 laps to go after a restart, fending off pressure from Zilisch and Austin Hill. But as the laps wound down, Zilisch attempted an outside move at the penultimate corner.Running wide, he rejoined the racing line and clipped van Gisbergen’s right rear, sending the Kiwi into the wall. Speaking after the crash, van Gisbergen told The CW Sports:“Not ideal, pretty gutted really, gutted for the JR Motorsports guys. Our car wasn’t great, but we still managed to get ourselves in a good position. A pretty average way to end it.”He also radioed to his crew after the wreck:“I’m okay. Car’s not.”With his No. 9 Chevrolet out of the race, van Gisbergen will now turn his focus to the Cup Series event. There, he will start from second and aim for his fourth win of the season.Shane van Gisbergen signs multi-year extension with Trackhouse RacingShane Van Gisbergen has committed his NASCAR future to Trackhouse Racing, signing a multi-year deal to stay with the team in the Cup Series. The agreement ensures the three-time Supercars champion will continue driving the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro for seasons to come.Trackhouse Racing first brought van Gisbergen into NASCAR two years ago at the Chicago Street Race, where he stunned the field by winning on his debut. That same entry has been driven by names such as Formula 1 champion Kimi Räikkönen and Indy 500 winner Hélio Castroneves.NASCAR Cup Series driver Shane Van Gisbergen (91) reacts after winning the Grant Park 220 of the Chicago Street Race at Chicago Street Race.- Source: ImagnThis season is Van Gisbergen’s first full-time campaign in the Cup Series, and he has already taken three wins, all on road courses in Mexico, Chicago, and Sonoma. His success has tied the record for most wins by a rookie in a single season.He is also the fastest driver to reach three wins in NASCAR’s modern era and the first New Zealander to accomplish the feat. Trackhouse announced the deal on X, posting:“NEWS: Multiyear contract extension for SVG. The winningest foreign-born driver in (NASCAR) history will remain in The House for years to come.”Shane Van Gisbergen will continue racing alongside teammate Ross Chastain. Daniel Suárez, the team’s third driver, is set to depart at the end of the season.Thanks to his three wins, van Gisbergen has locked himself into the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, which begin at Darlington Raceway later this month. While the playoff schedule only features one road course — Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Round of 12 — the Kiwi is expected to be a top contender there, provided he advances past the opening Round of 16.