Shane van Gisbergen let the NASCAR world hear of his confidence ahead of the Xfinity Series race in Chicago on Saturday afternoon.
Speaking with the media after capturing the pole for Saturday’s event, the reigning champion of the Cup Series’ trip to Chicago made sure to point out his Chevrolet is a fast one, comparing it to a rocket ship during his interview.
“What an awesome start. The Kaulig Racing guys have given us some rockets. WeatherTech Chevy is pretty quick. I’ve kept it straight so far. I’ve got to do that in the race,” van Gisbergen stated. “These street circuits are tough, and every lap, the track is evolving. Getting better and better. More and more rubber down in different spots. Then, we’re going to have the Cup practice now, and then everything will be different again.
“Looking forward to it. There’s some fast cars, and hopefully we can have a clean race up front.”
As for the way the track will adjust throughout the afternoon, van Gisbergen added that it should be pretty slick, but he recognized that everyone will be dealing with the same surface, so there’s no excuses for any difficulties.
“I think it will be,” van Gisbergen responded, regarding whether the track will be different during the race. “It’ll still be pretty hot, by the time we race. Pretty slick. But it’s the same for everyone, so hopefully it’s a fun race.”
Can Shane van Gisbergen pull off the sweep in Chicago, after winning last season’s Cup race? It’d be an amazing feat, and it’ll all begin with the Xfinity Series race on Saturday afternoon. SVG is on the pole, we’ll see if he ends the race where he starts.
More on Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR in Chicago
Moreover, the Chicago Street Race is what catapulted Shane van Gisbergen into the NASCAR Cup Series. With an opportunity from Justin Marks and Trackhouse Racing, SVG went out there and took the win in his debut.
This year he is back and while everyone has had a chance to race this track at this point, van Gisbergen had to remind them that he knows things they do not know. When it comes to street racing, his road course skills are amplified, his attention to detail shines.
There are times on a road course when SVG gets bested by drivers who know how to use the NASCAR format better on the road. More physical into the turns, not being afraid to swing wide or off the course temporarily.
When it comes to Chicago, Shane van Gisbergen is in his element. The walls do not allow drivers to test the limits. It sets a very strict limit. In a battle of millimeters and thousandths of a second, SVG has the edge.
On3’s Jonathan Howard contributed to this article.
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