Shane van Gisbergen, the New Zealand native and once under-the-radar driver, has returned to Chitown for a weekend of racing, following his momentous victory in the NASCAR Cup Series on these very streets just a year prior. This cityscape might not be his usual backdrop of choice, but when it comes to the tight corners and pulsing energy of Chicago's downtown street circuit, van Gisbergen seems to be right at home. According to a Chicago Tribune report, he's set to take on the challenge of both Xfinity and Cup Series races this weekend on the 2.2-mile course.
Last year, van Gisbergen charged onto the American scene, taking to the 12-turn track like a pro, to score a historic first-win for any driver on their Cup Series debut since 1963. His smooth handling, and, a keen ability to hit those apexes without compromising entry speed, have caught the attention and respect of his peers. "He's just smooth. I think that was the bottom line to what I saw," Joey Logano, a fellow competitor, told the Chicago Tribune. His time in the Windy City isn't just a pit stop; it's potentially transformative for his career.
The ripple effects of van Gisbergen's win are tangible, as indicated by the spike in ticket sales from New Zealand for this year's event, as noted by Track President Julie Giese. Yet in a statement obtained by KSL, van Gisbergen maintains that his focus is not to parlay this weekend's performance into a full-time Cup gig. "It would probably certainly help; getting a good result both days and showing I can keep running up front on road courses," he said. "But I'm not trying to put pressure on myself, you know, saying, ‘I have to win to get into Cup next year,’ you know? But certainly a good result will help that, yeah."
Having made a splash in the Xfinity Series with wins at Portland and Sonoma, van Gisbergen's affinity for road course racing is no secret. With ovals still posing a challenge, his approach to these weekends is refreshingly laid-back. "It’s almost like a holiday on a road race weekend for me," he told the Chicago Tribune. "I can relax and have some fun." With this ease on the track, and the knack for rapid acclimatization, it's no surprise that Shane van Gisbergen adds a fresh dynamic to NASCAR's roster – his presence alone signals to the stalwarts of the sport that the Aussies and Kiwis are very much in the building – and they're here to stay.
