Shane van Gisbergen Shakes Up NASCAR Cup Series Domination

Shane van Gisbergen Dominates Road Courses with Another Impressive Pole Position

Shane van Gisbergen, a 36-year-old New Zealander driving the No. 88 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing, once again showcased his exceptional talent on road courses, securing pole position at Sonoma Raceway on Saturday. This achievement came just days after he claimed victory in a chaotic Chicago street race, further solidifying his reputation as one of the top drivers in NASCAR.

Van Gisbergen’s blistering lap, clocked at 96.040 mph, marked his fourth career Cup pole and third of the 2025 season. His performance continued a streak of impressive qualifying results, following recent successes in the Xfinity Series. Many drivers have taken notice of his latest accomplishments, with Ryan Blaney stating that van Gisbergen is "on another level." However, Kyle Larson remains confident he can end the New Zealander's dominance.

"I'm shaking. That was pretty full-on," Larson admitted after the qualifying session. He credited Red Bull, Trackhouse, and Chevrolet for delivering a performance that exceeded expectations. Van Gisbergen’s ability to consistently perform at the highest level has not gone unnoticed, with several competitors acknowledging his skill and determination.

A Narrow Victory at Sonoma

Van Gisbergen’s Sonoma lap narrowly edged out Chase Briscoe, who posted a time of 74.594 seconds at 95.719 mph. Van Gisbergen’s lap of 74.594 seconds at 96.040 mph gave him a 0.250-second advantage over Briscoe. This performance capped off a clean sweep in qualifying, as van Gisbergen secured both Xfinity and Cup poles on consecutive weekends at Chicago and Sonoma.

In Xfinity qualifying on Friday, van Gisbergen also impressed with a lap of 1:15.259 at 95.191 mph, topping the field and securing his second consecutive Xfinity pole at Sonoma. His precision behind the wheel of JR Motorsports' No. 9 Chevrolet and Trackhouse's No. 88 Chevrolet demonstrates his growing mastery of road courses.

A Record-Breaking Season

Van Gisbergen’s recent accolades include sweeping both Xfinity and Cup races at Chicago—a feat only previously accomplished at Indianapolis by Kyle Busch in 2016. Additionally, he delivered a dominant Cup win in Mexico City on June 15, where he chased down Christopher Bell to claim the inaugural Viva Mexico 250 from pole in rain-affected conditions.

Kyle Larson, a fellow road course specialist, acknowledged van Gisbergen’s remarkable talent. He praised his right-foot braking and clutch skills, as well as his distinctive road course technique. "If he can figure out the ovals, he's going to be dominant," Larson predicted.

The Upcoming Toyota/Save Mart 350

With the Toyota/Save Mart 350 looming on Sunday, van Gisbergen will aim to convert this pole into another victory. He admitted that the car still needs "a bit more rear grip and a bit better balance... just tune it up a little bit, but obviously not a bad spot to start."

Briscoe will join van Gisbergen on the front row, followed by William Byron in third, Ross Chastain in fourth, and A.J. Allmendinger in fifth. The top ten is rounded out by Ty Gibbs, Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman, and Christopher Bell.

Van Gisbergen’s rapid rise on road courses has made him one of the most formidable talents in NASCAR’s top tier. With pole sweeps and race wins becoming routine, the spotlight now turns to Sunday: can he translate pole into checkered flag?