It’s time once again for NASCAR to return to the Chicago Street Course.
Last year, of course, it was the site of one of the great moments in NASCAR history.
Just ask the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Shane van Gisbergen, a complete unknown in the NASCAR world, thundered his way through the NASCAR Cup Series field and was able to win in the closing laps. It was the most memorable race of the season, and the moment was even named Frontstretch’s top storyline of the year.
If you were familiar with the name, however, it wasn’t unexpected. NASCAR fans have learned why in the last year.
You can make an argument that van Gisbergen is now the best road course driver in NASCAR and not sound completely ridiculous. The idea that the Chicago win last year was a fluke or only because he was the only driver in the field with substantial street experience has been thoroughly disproven.
Yes, he hasn’t won a road course race at the Cup level since. But the two he’s entered since were marred by mechanical issues. Meanwhile, he enters this coming weekend having won the last two NASCAR Xfinity Series road course races.
And although it is not relevant to this coming weekend, he’s proven to be a definite up-and-coming oval driver. Yes, he’s not competing for wins there. But he’s 13th in points in a completely different car from what he’s used to, against a field of drivers with sometimes decades of experience on ovals on him.
And that’s on top of having zero experience on any layout ran so far this season, with only 15 or so minutes of practice most weeks. It’s almost underappreciated how his year has gone so far. But I digress.
It’s time for Chicago once again. Last year, I predicted that van Gisbergen would win the race … before he was even announced for it.
This year? He sweeps the weekend … as long as the Cup car can hold it together.
What…
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