Shane van Gisbergen, the Kiwi, is a road-course ringer who’s been turning heads since he stormed onto NASCAR’s scene. His jaw-dropping debut at the 2023 Grant Park 220 in Chicago was one for the history books. Driving the No. 91 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Camaro, SVG led late and outmuscled Justin Haley on a final restart to win his very first Cup Series race, becoming the first driver since Johnny Rutherford in 1963 to snag a Cup debut victory.
The race, cut from 100 to 78 laps due to fading light and tricky conditions, only made his triumph more epic. His street-circuit mastery, forged through multiple Australian Supercars titles, shone bright, earning props from Denny Hamlin for adapting to NASCAR’s left and right driving demands like it was nothing.
In 2024, SVG returned to Chicago and owned the Xfinity Series’ Loop 110, cruising to victory on July 6. He aimed for a Cup repeat the next day in the Grant Park 165, but a crash with Chase Briscoe ended his title defense early. Still, his Chicago legacy was set, making him the guy to beat on the Windy City’s streets. And while guys like Michael McDowell tried to shut down the SVG hype, he has delivered the goods to start the weekend.
SVG setting the tone for the Chicago weekend with a pole win
SVG was on fire Saturday at the Chicago Street Race, sweeping both Xfinity and Cup Series qualifying sessions. “Yeah, that was epic. Our team did a great job. The No. 88 WeatherTech Chevrolet was ripping really good. I’m a lucky boy, I’ve got some great cars today — both the Cup and Xfinity car. This is pretty special. I’m looking forward to the race tomorrow. Practice wasn’t that great for us, but when we went out for qualifying, the car felt really good. We turned in two pretty good laps,” he said after his Cup qualifying round.
An impeccable start to @shanevg97‘s double-duty weekend. pic.twitter.com/tYTOz76hAb
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 5, 2025
Clocking 89.656 seconds, SVG nabbed the pole for Sunday’s Grant Park 165, his third in 33 Cup starts and his first at Chicago’s street course. Despite a shaky practice, his Trackhouse Racing Chevy came alive when it counted, setting him up to chase a second Chicago Cup win.
Michael McDowell trailed close behind, grabbing second in his No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevy, with teammate Carson Hocevar in third. Tyler Reddick and Chase Briscoe rounded out the top five for 23XI Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing, while RFK Racing’s Ryan Preece and Chris Buescher took sixth and seventh.
Corey Heim, in a fourth 23XI entry, was the odd man out, missing the 40-car field with 41 entries. SVG’s pole run wasn’t just a flex—it was a statement. After dominating Chicago in 2023 and Xfinity in 2024, he’s proving the street course is his turf, leaving rivals scrambling to match his pace.
McDowell’s plan to topple SVG
The Chicago Street Course is a big deal in 2025, possibly its final run, and everyone’s wondering if anyone can dethrone Shane van Gisbergen. His Mexico City masterclass last month, winning by over 16 seconds, cemented his road-course rep, but Michael McDowell’s not buying the invincible hype.
In a chat with Bob Pockrass, McDowell was all confidence: “I think he has had some standout races. There’s no doubt he is an amazing talent. But he is beatable. He is not unbeatable.” He chalked up SVG’s Mexico blowout to a well-timed caution, pointing out that he and Ty Gibbs could’ve made it a fight without that break.
McDowell’s got reason to believe. Restarting 18th in Mexico, he charged to the top five, convinced that starting alongside SVG would’ve sparked a real battle. “I think had I started next to him, he would have had a challenge,” he said.
With Chicago’s tight, twisty layout playing to his road-course strengths, McDowell’s ready to push SVG to the limit. Fans are hyped for the showdown, especially with the street race’s future uncertain. SVG may be the odds-on favorite, but McDowell’s out to prove the Supercars champ can be beaten, making the Grant Park 165 a must-watch clash.
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