If you don’t know who Shane van Gisbergen is, you will now.
The New Zealander is a three-time Supercars champion (including the defending back-to-back champ) and took charge of the Trackhouse Racing “Project 91” car on the streets of Chicago. Van Gisbergen had a great car and impressed in qualifying, but even an accomplished road racer can find it difficult to perform well as he’s learning the car.
Van Gisbergen was obviously a quick learner, because the Kiwi roared through the field to win the first ever race on the Chicago Street Circuit.
He beats the NASCAR guys at their own game! Shane van Gisbergen WINS on the streets of Chicago! The V8 Supercars champ wins in his debut and is the first Kiwi to win a #NASCAR race. pic.twitter.com/iywQttvojz
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) July 3, 2023
"I'd love to come over here."@shanevg97, three-time @supercars champ and now @NASCAR winner, if there are more Cup races in his future. pic.twitter.com/MkxFGBYLsU
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 3, 2023
Van Gisbergen achieved three monumental NASCAR feats:
- The sixth foreign born NASCAR Cup Series winner, and first Kiwi winner. (Mario Andretti, Italy; Earl Ross, Canada; Juan Pablo Montoya, Colombia; Marcos Ambrose, Australia; Daniel Suárez, Mexico)
- The seventh person to win in their first NASCAR Cup Series start, and first in 60 years. (Jim Roper and Jack White, 1949; Harold Kite and Leon Sales, 1950; Marvin Burke, 1951; Johnny Rutherford, 1963)
- The first road course “ringer” to win a NASCAR Cup Series race since Mark Donohue in 1973.
Many in the racing world, from inside and outside of NASCAR, celebrated van Gisbergen’s win.
WINNER. WINNER! WINNER!!! @shanevg97 | @enhancehealthll | @QuadLockCase pic.twitter.com/QXGTwg0S6R
— PROJECT91 (@THProject91) July 3, 2023
He's only gone and WON ON DEBUT!!!
A simply incredible drive from our reigning champion @shanevg97 in Chicago 🤩 #RepcoSC #Supercars #NASCAR #NASCARChicago pic.twitter.com/h1yvTTNd82
— Supercars (@supercars) July 3, 2023
Cheers brother holy cow @shanevg97 pic.twitter.com/tEUAcuyiYs
— Scott McLaughlin (@smclaughlin93) July 3, 2023
So impressive what SVG just did in Chicago. NASCAR is full of insanely talented drivers, and to compete with, and win against, a group of that caliber first time out…unreal! It’s gunna be a party tonight!
— James Hinchcliffe (@Hinchtown) July 3, 2023
Yeaaaahhhh!!! How about that for some special @NASCAR history!!! Well done @shanevg97 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 Awesome stuff mate and superb choice @TeamTrackhouse @JustinMarksTH
— Leigh Diffey (@leighdiffey) July 3, 2023
Amazing drive, all weekend, by @shanevg97. Call it whatever you want, talent, versatile, doesn’t matter. This guy just smoked this field and it wasn’t even close.
Can’t help but to think this puts Cup drivers, all NASCAR drivers for that matter officially on notice. Figure out…
— landon cassill (@landoncassill) July 3, 2023
Were you entertained?
Great drive by @ShaneVG97, @dariangrubb and @TeamTrackhouse, great event by @Nascar and the city of Chicago. Start of a new holiday tradition?No, it wasn't a typical Nascar race at all, but today showed… now they can race ANYWHERE!
— Mike Joy (@mikejoy500) July 3, 2023
That's how we do it Down Under 💪#RepcoSC #Supercars #NASCAR #NASCARChicago https://t.co/vtx8ZjRA3n
— Supercars (@supercars) July 3, 2023
THIS. IS. UNREAL!
Let’s go @shanevg97! @enhancehealthll | @QuadLockCase pic.twitter.com/B7UFPTnYYp
— PROJECT91 (@THProject91) July 3, 2023
THE SWEET TASTE OF VICTORY! @shanevg97 | @enhancehealthll | @QuadLockCase | @TeamTrackhouse pic.twitter.com/AEd6O251dN
— PROJECT91 (@THProject91) July 3, 2023
On a day where historic flooding submerged much of the track, NASCAR got the Cup race in with a shortened distance. Things looked so dire Sunday morning when four inches of rain fell that NASCAR felt they had no choice but to cancel the Xfinity Series race two laps before the official distance. Add that all the concerts throughout the weekend were canceled and it wasn’t looking great for street racing in NASCAR
Not only did NASCAR get the Cup race in, a new winner took the checkered flag at a time where his New Zealand and Australian fans could watch at 1:00 pm local time. Shane van Gisbergen winning meant all the headaches of the flooding and rain were quickly forgotten and he may have saved the concept of street racing in NASCAR.
