Shane van Gisbergen chasing more NASCAR success
The third time is a different situation for van Gisbergen once again. This time, he has a second Cup Series victory in his back pocket - providing some flexibility for the 36-year-old New Zealander as he prepares for the playoffs.
"We're in a nice position now having won a race," van Gisbergen said Friday. "And it may change our strategy. If we're in a position to get a playoff point, we'll probably try and get that, but that'll put us deep in the field for the next stage.
"So yeah, there's a bit of a toss-up there what we're going to do, but it's a nice position to be in."
Sure is.
Just two years ago, van Gisbergen - a three-time champion in Australia's Supercars - put on a dazzling show in a rainy first edition of NASCAR's downtown Chicago experiment.
Making the most of his extensive street racing experience, he became the first driver to win his Cup Series debut since Johnny Rutherford in the second qualifying race at Daytona in 1963.
He won Chicago's Xfinity Series stop last year and the first stage in the Cup race before he was knocked out by a crash.
"You know, I have great memories here," van Gisbergen said. "This place has changed my life, so I'm going to have special memories of this place forever."
Van Gisbergen's success in Chicago led to a full-time Cup ride with Trackhouse Racing. But the driver of the No.88 Chevrolet is learning his way around NASCAR and he got off to a slow start this season.
While oval tracks remain a challenge, he certainly hasn't forgotten his roots on street and road courses. He posted his second Cup win last month at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.
Van Gisbergen is scheduled to compete in both Chicago races this weekend. Next up for NASCAR is another road course at Sonoma Raceway, providing an opportunity to move up from No. 32 in the Cup standings and build up some momentum.
"Road courses are just a bonus for us," he said. "We know we're going to be good and we can just focus on trying to get results there."
Even after two years, the downtown Chicago street course remains a tricky proposition. The 12-turn, 2.2-mile track is narrow and bumpy in spots - to go along with manhole covers, and transitions from concrete to asphalt and back - and there is little room for error in some areas.
Patience is sometimes the best approach, but that only goes so far in NASCAR.
"It's easy to say that until Shane is out there a second faster than you and you have to go put yourself in some uncomfortable situations," said Joey Logano, the reigning Cup Series champion.
When it comes to van Gisbergen on road courses, Logano said the rest of the Cup Series is "in a way, playing catch-up." Van Gisbergen said he feels the same way about ovals.
"These guys have been doing left-handers since they were 10 years old," van Gisbergen said. "You know, they're two completely different sports, and although there has been road racing in NASCAR forever, it's not that much.
"So yeah, just the experience levels are different in what we do. And I feel like, yes, they've definitely gotten a lot better since the first one on this track, for sure."
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It was van Gisbergen's second victory of the season and his third career Cup win, havingalso triumphed in Chicago in 2023 when he became the first driver to win in his Cup Series debut since 1963. It capped a dominant weekend for the 36-year-old Kiwi who won the second-tier Xfinity Series race from the pole Saturday. He also was the top qualifier for the Cup race. "Epic weekend for us. I'm a lucky guy," van Gisbergen said. "This joint, it's changed my life. "I didn't have any plans to do more NASCAR races when I first came over here, and I never thought I'd be in NASCAR full time." Van Gisbergen regained the lead when he passed Chase Briscoe with 16 laps left. As fog moved into downtown Chicago with thunderstorms in the forecast, van Gisbergen controlled the action the rest of the way. "He's the best road course stock car racer that I've ever seen," van Gisbergen's Trackhouse team owner Justin Marks said. "I think when he's done with us all and walks away from the sport, I think he's going to walk away as the best road course racer that this sport has ever seen." In Lexington, Ohio, Dixon extended a remarkable streak when he notched his first win of the IndyCar season at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. The New Zealander, who turns 45 later this month, has now won an IndyCar Series race in every season since 2005, a 21-year streak. It marks the 59th victory of his illustrious career. Dixon drove his No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to victory lane after teammate and series leader Alex Palou made a crucial error down the stretch. Palou had a slight lead with five laps to go but ran wide as his No. 10 car reached Turn 9. The Spaniard slowed down in the dirt and Dixon made it past him, taking the lead the rest of the way. The win was timely for Dixon, who entered the week tied for fourth in the points race and last got the chequered flag at the 2024 Detroit Grand Prix 13 months ago. - with Reuters Shane van Gisbergen and veteran Scott Dixon have delivered a day of New Zealand dominance in US motorsport with a mighty title double. Three-time Supercars champion van Gisbergen completed a weekend sweep on the Chicago Street Course, winning the NASCAR Cup Series race on the tricky downtown circuit on Sunday. It was van Gisbergen's second victory of the season and his third career Cup win, havingalso triumphed in Chicago in 2023 when he became the first driver to win in his Cup Series debut since 1963. It capped a dominant weekend for the 36-year-old Kiwi who won the second-tier Xfinity Series race from the pole Saturday. He also was the top qualifier for the Cup race. "Epic weekend for us. I'm a lucky guy," van Gisbergen said. "This joint, it's changed my life. "I didn't have any plans to do more NASCAR races when I first came over here, and I never thought I'd be in NASCAR full time." Van Gisbergen regained the lead when he passed Chase Briscoe with 16 laps left. As fog moved into downtown Chicago with thunderstorms in the forecast, van Gisbergen controlled the action the rest of the way. "He's the best road course stock car racer that I've ever seen," van Gisbergen's Trackhouse team owner Justin Marks said. "I think when he's done with us all and walks away from the sport, I think he's going to walk away as the best road course racer that this sport has ever seen." In Lexington, Ohio, Dixon extended a remarkable streak when he notched his first win of the IndyCar season at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. The New Zealander, who turns 45 later this month, has now won an IndyCar Series race in every season since 2005, a 21-year streak. It marks the 59th victory of his illustrious career. Dixon drove his No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to victory lane after teammate and series leader Alex Palou made a crucial error down the stretch. Palou had a slight lead with five laps to go but ran wide as his No. 10 car reached Turn 9. The Spaniard slowed down in the dirt and Dixon made it past him, taking the lead the rest of the way. The win was timely for Dixon, who entered the week tied for fourth in the points race and last got the chequered flag at the 2024 Detroit Grand Prix 13 months ago. - with Reuters
