Motorsport Weekend Wrap-up
Mar 11, 2024
NASCAR Xfinity
A week after his Las Vegas disappointment, the dice rolled in Shane van Gisbergen's favour in Phoenix, for the Kiwi to come from 23rd to finish 6th in the latest NASCAR Xfinity Series race.
SVG was able to avoid a 13-car crash late in the race, then, despite well-worn rubber, he was able to stay high in the 97 Chevrolet to deliver yet another trademark magic run after the late race re-start to claim sixth.
The result bumps van Gisbergen up two spots to 14th on the ladder. A place in the top ten could beckon as the series heads to more familiar territory in a fortnight at the Circuit of the Americas, the first road course of 2024.
INDYCAR
Scott Dixon may be the winningest driver on the INDYCAR grid. Still, victory continues to elude him on the St. Petersburg street course, as the six-time champ missed out for the 20th time, finishing ninth in this morning's season opener.
That result is all the more remarkable when you consider that he has topped the podium at 27 different race venues over his remarkable INDYCAR career.
Scott Mclaughlin was the best of the Kiwis, matching Dixon's 2023 result with a third place behind Josef Newgarden and Pato Ward in an all-Chevrolet top four.
IndyNXT
In the support races, Callum Hedge battled to an 11th-place finish in the opening round of INDYNXT, where the rookie worked hard to overcome a tough qualifying, which saw him start from 18th.
USF Pro 2000
New Zealand Grand Prix winner Liam Sceats followed up his podium placing in the first USF Pro 2000 race with a 6th place finish in the second race of the S. Petersburg weekend. The result leaves him 4th in the standings heading into the three-race round at NOLA in early April.