Shane van Gisbergen ready to defend title at Chicago street circuit

Shane van Gisbergen dominated in Mexico with the largest victory margin in NASCAR Cup in 15 years. Now the No. 88 driver emerges as favorite for the Chicago street circuit race — the same venue of his historic win last year.

“This place feels special every time I come back. Though I don’t really like cities, this circuit is amazing. This place has changed my life, so it will always hold special memories. But yeah, not enough grass here,” said van Gisbergen.

The New Zealand driver compares Chicago circuit to a combination of Gold Coast and Adelaide circuits. Despite last year’s setback when he lost position due to incident with Chase Briscoe, van Gisbergen remains optimistic for this year’s race.

With Mexico victory providing 6 playoff points, van Gisbergen’s strategy might shift for this race. However, he chooses to stay focused on his performance without overthinking playoff position, considering 8 races remain in regular season.