At the 2023 Chicago Street Race, Shane van Gisbergen made his NASCAR Cup Series debut and astonished everyone. The Kiwi went from the back of the pack to the front in the final 25 laps. He performed accurate, professional passes on an unfamiliar, rain-soaked circuit without using any shoves or shortcuts. Simply clean racing at top speed. He wasn’t dependent on anyone, and he didn’t have to be, as he outperformed some of NASCAR’s top drivers to become the first driver to win in his first Cup start in 60 years.

Upon arriving in Sonoma this Saturday, driving the #9 for JR Motorsports, that same attitude was evident. SVG was coming off a weekend sweep at Chicago last week, where he pulled a controversial shove on Connor Zilisch to win the Xfinity race. However, come Sonoma, SVG was outdueled by his new road course rival and teammate, Connor Zilisch, no matter what he tried.

Shane van Gisbergen no match for relentless Zilisch in Sonoma showdown

Since his booming debut in NASCAR, Shane van Gisbergen has set the standard on road courses. However, the Kiwi was stuck in a chess match at Sonoma that he couldn’t win without going too far. At Sonoma, van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch engaged in a heated, strategic duel in the final laps of the Xfinity Series race.

Two of the most aggressive road racers in the sport engaged in a full-scale battle that started as a patient charge in the last stage. However, despite SVG’s steady pressure and long-term pace, Zilisch never cracked. “I was trying to get in front,” SVG told Frontstretch post-race. “Yeah, it was the opposite of the second stage. My car seemed to be better in the long run. Whatever changes Corey [Shea, crew chief] did were much better, but it’s very hard to pass here. I couldn’t do it without wrecking him, so I tried every trick I could, but he [Connor Zilisch] drove so well.”

By Lap 70, Shane van Gisbergen had caught up to Zilisch’s bumper thanks to new tires and a late-come-to-life vehicle. As the last lap approached Turn 7, the No. 97 plunged deep and momentarily passed the No. 88. However, just as it appeared that contact would be made, van Gisbergen lifted. “I think in the last lap, on the 7, I got there, wheel hopped,” he explained. “Pushed him wide, could’ve gone, but I waited. I didn’t wanna do it like that.” Although it probably cost him the victory, the split-second choice won him the respect of both rivals and supporters. SVG stuck to his code, even though aggressive bump-and-run maneuvers are frequently the currency of road course victories. 

Connor Zilisch made a clinical defense. He never missed a mark, even if he had to contend with brake fade and a little tighter car in the last laps. His ability to remain composed under duress was noteworthy, particularly for a driver with SVG’s extensive history of international road racing. Though the sting of defeat was visible, “Yes, heckin’ sucks. But I had a really fun race,” he said with clarity that this was the kind of battle SVG came to NASCAR for.

With the Cup Series race still ahead, SVG took away more than just track notes from Sonoma; he gained a new rival. “He drives so well I couldn’t get him,” SVG said of Zilisch. “Had a fun day, thank you to Quad Lock, JR Motorsports.” For now, van Gisbergen may have come up short. But if this was any indication, the road course wars in NASCAR just got a lot more interesting.

Zilisch credits SVG’s classy backing after Sonoma victory

In a late-race battle in Sonoma that required control, patience, and accuracy, the 18-year-old rising star managed to hold off Shane van Gisbergen, one of the most skilled road racers in the field. It was a pivotal performance for Zilisch. It was a display of deliberate restraint for van Gisbergen. “That was awesome,” Zilisch said post-race. “All race long, I felt like we were racing each other with respect.”

The last run to the checkered flag was frantic as Zilisch and SVG exchanged lap times and braking spots. The race remained clean despite the extremely narrow margin for error. “I wheel-hopped a little bit in Turn 7 one time and got into him,” Zilisch explained. “Otherwise, it was awesome to get to race against him finally and battle with him the whole race long.”

In the last few bends, Van Gisbergen had an opportunity to rough Zilisch up with his No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Rather, he decided on a cleaner way instead, which cost him the victory but gained him universal respect. “There was a chance that he could have gotten by me when he hit me, but he let me have it and raced me clean,” Zilisch said. “I respect the hell out of him for that, and I’m looking forward to racing against him more.” 

Zilisch now sits 4th in the Xfinity standings with this being his third win of the season. Meanwhile, SVG shifts his focus to the Cup Series race on Sunday, where he has already grabbed the pole and will look to make it his third Cup victory of the season after wins at Mexico City and Chicago under his belt already. Do you think SVG will come out on top on Sunday? Let us know in the comments!