Shane van Gisbergen's Chicago Burnout and Near-Miss Sparks Debate Over Dangers in Victory Celebrations
Shane van Gisbergen and Chicago have become synonymous with one another. Since NASCAR started going to the Windy City in 2023, the New Zealand driver has made his way to Victory Lane each year on the 2.20-mile track.
Advertisement
The 36-year-old did it during his Cup Series debut two years ago, stunning the NASCAR world with multiple drivers, including Chase Elliott, admitting it was embarrassing to have someone come in and win during his first-ever race in the sport.
The three-time Supercars champion took the checkered flag first again in 2024, not in Cup but in the Xfinity Series. It was one of three wins during his first full-time season with the Series. He also won at Portland and Sonoma.
The Kiwi — in his rookie Cup season — recorded his second career win just a few weeks ago in Mexico City, which, much like Chicago, was the series making its inaugural visit to a circuit featuring right and left turns.
Shane van Gisbergen celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on the Chicago Street Course.Expectations coming into the weekend along the shores of Lake Michigan were that SVG could win one if not both races.
Advertisement
He accomplished the first step on Saturday, out dueling his JR Motorsports teammate and fellow Red Bull driver Connor Zilisch on a late restart, recording his third win in the nation's third-largest city.
After making a cooldown lap around the track, the No. 9 car slowed down the frontstretch before the engine started revving and smoke started billowing out from behind the rear tires. The burnout continued in front of the fans gathered in the grandstands.
The CW camera operator was providing the television-viewing audience a close perspective of the burnout, standing on the track-side of the concrete wall, which serves as the barrier between pit road. He almost got too close.
Advertisement
As the JRM car approached, SVG turned hard to the left and the right rear of the car whipped around. The screen immediately filled with smoke before the camera abruptly tilted to the side, the operator getting knocked off balance.
It was a near-miss. It was a close call. It was a disaster narrowly averted. It was all of those things — and it wasn't the first time.
It's happened in the past. The broadcast trying to get the best close-up shot of the victory celebration as possible. However, at some point, the question needs to be asked — at what costs?
It feels like it's just a matter of time before the close call becomes an accident. It could result in a cameraperson losing their balance like today, a minor injury like a sprained ankle, or who knows, even much worse.
Advertisement
Related: Richard Petty Doesn't Sugarcoat Feelings on Playoff Format After Shane van Gisbergen Win in Mexico
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Bill Belichick's Age-Gap Romance With Jordon Hudson Is Turning Into a 'PR Nightmare' at His New Job
Jordon Hudson can't seem to stay out of the headlines even though she's not the one who was hired by University of North Carolina (UNC) to coach their football team. That job is reserved for her boyfriend, former NFL coach Bill Belichick, who just happens to be 48 years older than her. The 24-year-old beauty queen seems to have a knack for drawing controversy and is now being described as a 'public relations nightmare' for the 73-year-old coach. More from SheKnows Mila Kunis & Ashton Kutcher's Romantic Getaway Sends a Message After Public Backlash The backlash at UNC is being felt across the board as the school is being pressured to let Belichick go by alumni donors and faculty members. The Daily Mail obtained emails via a public records request, and the messages are quite pointed. One donor wrote angrily, 'What a total embarrassment to UNC. I am withdrawing all my donations and future donations.' Another email from faculty member Christopher McLaughlin, a professor of Public Law and Government, to UNC Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham, argued about the unwanted attention Hudson was drawing to the program. 'When you agreed to pay a king's ransom to hire Bill Belichick, did you also know that you [were] hiring Jordon Hudson to serve as the primary face of [UNC] athletics? Normally, I would say the University should not concern itself with its employees' personal lives,' McLaughlin wrote. 'But when a prominent employee injects his significant other into the University's affairs, it becomes the University's concern. The staff member went on to describe Hudson as 'an embarrassment' while begging the school's athletic director to 'please end this circus before the season begins.' Hudson also became a hot topic in April when she interrupted Belichick's CBS Sunday Morning interview with Tony Dokoupil. 'We're not talking about this,' she said from off-camera when the reporter asked her boyfriend about their romantic origin story. Their ties are both personal and professional because Hudson is listed as the Chief Operating Officer of Belichick Productions and CEO & Founder of Trouble Cub Enterprises, per LinkedIn, and not everyone likes that. 'I think it's ironic that a man who really controlled everything — and I mean everything — now is being controlled by some other person,' said Upton Bell, a former general manager of the Patriots, told The New York Times on May 20. 'You can't just point at the woman here and say, 'She is being controlling. That only happens if you let yourself be controlled.' UNC's first football game of the season is Sept. 1, and Hudson is expected to be rooting for Belichick from the of SheKnows Amber Heard's Entire Dating History: Johnny Depp, Elon Musk, & More 11 of Prince William & Kate Middleton's Biggest Relationship Controversies 13 Celebrities Who Secretly Welcomed Children During Affairs
Fox News
21 minutes ago
- Fox News
Red state now offers preferred parking for pregnant women
Florida is days into allowing pregnant women to apply for an "expectant mother parking permit" and the reactions are mixed. The law went into effect on July 1, and allows pregnant women to use accessible parking spaces for up to one year after the date of issuance. "Having been pregnant myself in the Florida heat, it is hard to struggle across a big parking lot when you are nine months pregnant, especially if you have other kids, and you are dragging gear to park all the way in the back of the parking lot and walk past those empty handicap spots," State Rep. Fiona McFarland told FOX 13 Tampa Bay Women who do plan to apply for and use a temporary placard must pay a one-time fee of $15. "You've got enough on your plate—make parking easier." a Facebook post by Bay County tax Collector Chuck Perdue on June 30 said. Social media responses are coming in from both sympathizers and those in opposition. "Friend we don't have to waddle so far," one woman said while tagging another Facebook user. Meanwhile, on the Seminole County Tax Collector's post about the temporary permits, someone said, "Seriously? Pregnancy is not a disability!" In Florida, tax collectors are authorized agents for the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which allows people to conduct motor vehicle division services in the tax collector's offices. "I've been really healthy, so I think it's important to try and walk and do the best you can to stay active, if you can," expectant mother Danielle Marple told FOX 13. "I'm glad that there are people who, if they need the assistance, they can have it, but I certainly hope it's just not abused and that the people who have the disabilities or need the help are able to get it," she said.
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
PGA Tour Reveals Tiger Woods' Honest Message on Max Homa During John Deere Classic
PGA Tour Reveals Tiger Woods' Honest Message on Max Homa During John Deere Classic originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The John Deere Classic is heating up at TPC Deere Run, and all eyes are on the tightly packed leaderboard. Davis Thompson holds a slim one-shot lead, but right in the mix is Max Homa, tied for sixth place at 13-under after three rounds. Just two strokes off the lead, Homa is in striking distance as he chases his first win since 2023, and he's looking sharp. Advertisement While fans were already buzzing about Homa's chances, a comment from Tiger Woods added fuel to the fire. The golf legend recently shared his thoughts on Homa's swing, saying, "I like his move... he's got a little cast at the top." Coming from a 15-time major winner, that kind of attention speaks volumes. Whether it's praise or subtle critique, it's clear Woods sees something in Homa's game worth watching. Max Homa during the John Deere Classic golf Lebryk-Imagn Images Homa has definitely stepped up this week. 'It's definitely the best 36 holes off the tee I've had in a while consecutively, so that's nice,' he said after Friday's round. 'I'm just trying to keep getting better every day.' Advertisement This performance marks his best 36-hole start of the season, and it couldn't have come at a better time. Known for his humor and Twitter game, Homa is showing serious intent on the course. With six PGA Tour wins under his belt and a top-three finish at the 2024 Masters, the California native has proven he can contend on big stages. Once a standout at Cal and a Walker Cup teammate of Justin Thomas, Homa's journey has been anything but ordinary. Now, with Tiger watching and the John Deere trophy within reach, Sunday could be a career-defining moment for Max Homa. Related: PGA Tour Sends Message to LeBron James on Saturday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
