Chase Briscoe praised Shane Van Gisbergen’s exceptional performance after finishing behind him at Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 held at Sonoma Raceway. Briscoe highlighted Van Gisbergen’s unmatched skill on road courses, likening it to facing Michael Jordan in his prime. This comparison underscores the dominance Van Gisbergen has shown in this season’s Cup Series.
Michael Jordan, during his peak years, controlled the NBA with the Chicago Bulls, winning three consecutive championships. Similarly, although Van Gisbergen’s earlier motorsport efforts drew little attention, he has emerged as a dominant force on road courses in the NASCAR Cup Series. The 36-year-old driver has claimed victory in three of the four road course events so far this year.
At Sonoma Raceway, Van Gisbergen’s recent win was marked by commanding control, leading 97 of the 110 laps and securing his first consecutive road course victory, following his win at Chicago the previous week. Briscoe, who finished just over a second behind the Kiwi driver, reflected on this dominance with admiration.
“I never played basketball against Michael Jordan in his prime, but I feel like that’s what it was probably like. That guy is just unbelievable on road courses. He’s raised the bar for this entire series.”
—Chase Briscoe, NASCAR Driver
Van Gisbergen, in response, acknowledged Briscoe’s competitive efforts during the closing laps of the race.
“Chase (Briscoe) was driving really well. We had a lot of fun there. … On the last restart, I thought he (Briscoe) jumped a little bit. I was just trying to do what I could to get in position in Turn 2. That last one, I had to give him a bit of rub, but that was it,”
—Shane Van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
This season’s results have placed Van Gisbergen third in the playoff standings, sharing the spot with fellow three-time winners Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, and Christopher Bell. Notably, every time Van Gisbergen has won this year, a driver from Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has finished in second place, emphasizing the close competition. Despite this success on road courses, Van Gisbergen remains 26th overall in the driver standings, with 367 points, indicating he is still working to climb higher in the rankings.
Development Driver Connor Zilisch Sends Congratulations Following Sonoma Victory
In the Xfinity Series race on Saturday at Sonoma, Connor Zilisch held off a strong challenge from Shane Van Gisbergen to claim his third win of the season. Zilisch remains the only driver to have defeated Van Gisbergen in a road course contest, with the two commanding a combined lead of 70 laps during the weekend.
On Sunday, Zilisch took to X to congratulate his teammate, recognizing Van Gisbergen’s continuous success. As a development driver for Trackhouse Racing, Zilisch is widely expected to replace Daniel Suarez in the coming season.
Following Zilisch’s victory, Dale Earnhardt Jr. hinted that Zilisch and Van Gisbergen are likely to race together under the Trackhouse banner next year. The pair are set for another showdown soon at Watkins Glen International, a venue where Zilisch earned his first career win.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Where will Chase Briscoe be in 2025?
A. In 2025, Chase Briscoe is set to join Joe Gibbs Racing, a team known for winning championships. He will drive the No. 19 Toyota Camry XSE, replacing Martin Truex Jr., who is retiring.
Q. Where is Chase Briscoe going in 2025?
A. In 2025, Chase Briscoe will become a part of Joe Gibbs Racing’s team, which has previously won championships. He will take over the No.