Van Gisbergen speechless after making more history

Shane van Gisbergen could be starting to get used to being a NASCAR Cup Series winner, but he still struggled to sum up his emotions after smashing the field at Sonoma.

Van Gisbergen claimed his fourth NACAR Cup Series win and third in a row on road courses in 2025.

Whilst the margin of victory was not as big as Mexico, it was more impressive as his 97 laps led were the most by a Sonoma winner, beating Jeff Gordon’s 92 set in 2004.

In more historic markers, the Kiwi, who has 34 starts under his belt, became the fastest to four Cup Series wins since 1967 when Parnelli Jones won his fourth race at Riverside in his 31st Cup start.

In the 2025 Toyota Save Mart 350 no one could realistically challenge van Gisbergen, with only Chase Elliott posing a threat on the restarts.

After a tough start to his rookie campaign, SVG admitted he was pleasantly surprised after his latest success.

“It’s amazing, amazing day,” van Gisbergen said. 

“We had a great time as a team last week. So to do it again, it’s hard to put into words at the moment.

“You just have to appreciate the run we’ve had. For us it was a tough start to the year. We’ve gotten better and better, and yeah, as a team it’s such a cool atmosphere to be a part of and so special to share it with these guys and girls.

“We were coming 50th it felt like. But it wasn’t the complete end of the world. 

“I felt like I was getting better as a driver, getting closer to my teammates and starting to match what they were doing. 

“You could just feel that we were better than what we were. It just had to sort of click.

“The last month and a half, two months, we’ve really started getting better, the #88 car, and then also the team, as well, we’ve started getting better and better. 

“It’s four wins for us now as a team, and it’s been an amazing turnaround for everyone.

“I’m not under any illusion we’re going to go out next week and win, but I’d like to keep that progression going and keep starting to build towards the midfield and then the top half of it.”

The only periods van Gisbergen seemed to be under threat were the restarts when Chase Briscoe would draw alongside, only for the Trackhouse Racing Kiwi to prevail by Turn 4.

The Kiwi admitted it was not easy to fight and retain position in the marbles.

“It was tough. There were certainly marbles,” van Gisbergen said. 

“This soft tyre leaves so many marbles around the track, and you’re trying to be respectful when you line up two wide, but you end up pushing each other into the marbles, even though you’re not trying to.

“Then we both take off and you could hear the marbles flicking up on the guards and stuff. It was really slippery.

“But you just know all those people up at the front there, it was the #19 (Briscoe), #24 (Will Byron), #20 (Christopher Bell) I think we were mainly racing, and they’re great guys to race. 

“I always race well with them and enjoy racing them. 

“I knew Chase wasn’t going to do anything stupid, but he got really close at Turn 2 a couple of times, and he had a proper crack. It was cool racing.”

Since 1989, Sonoma has been an annual stop on the NASCAR Cup Series calendar and van Gisbergen looks forward to racing around the sweeping and twisting road course in the future.

“Obviously I’m biased now and I like the place,” SVG said.

“I really think every year this track is going to get better. 

“It’s still great to drive, but as the surface wears away and the edge comes off it a bit, I think it’ll be an even better racetrack. 

“Even compared to last year, there was so much more tyre falloff and probably not the most passing up at the front, but at least there were speed differences between tires this year.”

After bullying the NASCAR stars on the road courses, it will be quickly back to learning on the ovals at Dover this weekend.

Image: HHP/Harold Hinson

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