Kevin Harvick's co-host underlines the "bada**" aspect of Chris Buescher and Shane van Gisbergen's final lap battle at Watkins Glen

Kevin Harvick's co-host and NASCAR analyst Mamba Smith delved deeper into Chris Buescher and Shane van Gisbergen's final lap battle at Watkins Glen. Smith outlined the "bada**" moment when the two drivers were on the verge of getting wrecked but the New Zealander took control of the situation.

The Go Bowling! at the Glen witnessed RFK Racing's Buescher snapping his 37-race winless streak after a fierce to-and-fro battle against Kaulig Racing's SVG. The latter's #16 Chevy nudged the former's #17 Ford during the overtime restart, sending it over the esses in Turn 1, and motored off through the space to lead the remainder of the 92-lap run.

After taking the white flag as leader, SVG inched closer to his second Cup Series win. However, Buescher closely followed the frontrunner and looked for the slightest opportunity to grab the lead back. That came after the 'Bus Stop' chicane. As the New Zealander lost control while steering through the inner loop, Buescher capitalized and barged his Ford on the inside line on Turn 5.

As a result, after trading paint with Shane van Gisbergen's car, Buescher became the race leader. But the former didn't give up and charged back for the lead entering Turn 6. While the RFK Racing driver smoothly went over Turn 6, Kaulig Racing's #16 Ford slid over the chicane. However, SVG prevented spinning out.

Had the runner-up held more control over his Chevy while going sidewards, he, according to analyst Mamba Smith, would've tried to dive into the corner, which would've wrecked out both. But the New Zealander prevented the unwanted turnaround of events.

Smith outlined the final lap battle as the "craziest" and "bada**" part of the playoff race. He said (via NASCAR on Fox on YouTube).

"Shane van Gisbergen is wrecking out of that corner (Turn 6) and makes up time. I think that is the craziest part of that (because) SVG running that car sideways, closing the gap. I think if he was a little bit more under control, he might have tried to dive it in the last corner, but if he does right there, I think they're both wrecking. So that was a badass move," Smith said (4:45).

Chris Buescher's win ended RFK Racing's 10-year winless streak on a road course.

Shane van Gisbergen "gutted" after "driver error" lost him the potential victory at Watkins Glen

After displaying his dominant run by winning his debut Cup Series race in Chicago last year, Shane van Gisbergen secured a full-time Xfinity Series seat and a part-time Cup Series deal with Kaulig Racing. While he triumphed in three Xfinity road course races- at Portland International Raceway, Sonoma Raceway, and Chicago Street Course, he couldn't emulate his road circuit supremacy in the Cup Series.

He finished 20th at the Circuit of the Americas and succumbed to a DNF at the Chicago Street Course. But he got the opportunity, at Watkins Glen, to reverse his dismal road course Cup Series feat. However, the 35-year-old failed to capitalize, made a mistake while maneuvering through the Bus Stop inner loop, and lost the potential win to Chris Buescher.

“Driver error, yeah. I knew Chris was really [going to] send it and push me if he could get there and as I turned in and got a little bit loose and clipped the inside wall and just driver error. I’m gutted,” van Gisbergen said via NASCAR on TSN on X.

“The race was awesome with Ross and Chris and the others in the end. I’m gutted we couldn’t get it but I had a lot of fun, but I’m pretty angry at myself,” the runner-up added.

Shane van Gisbergen will enter his first full-time Cup Series season in 2025 for Trackhouse Racing.