In the hypercompetitive world of NASCAR, there are very few drivers who openly admit their shortcomings and praise a rival’s strengths. Ryan Blaney is one of them. He’ll always back his own talent. Yet this season, after breaking his winless streak with a victory at Nashville Superspeedway in June 2025. Blaney faces a vulnerability on road courses he can’t ignore. His last triumph on a road layout came almost a decade ago, on September 30, 2018, at the inaugural Charlotte Roval. His sole victory in 38 Cup road-course starts since then equates to a 2.63% win rate in that discipline.

“I’m not the best road course racer, I’m average at the best. I work really hard on it. Trying to figure out where can I be better and compare myself to the good guys,” Blaney said after his win in Nashville. Well, right now, Shane van Gisbergen holds the title of road course king, and the Penske star has been doing his homework, it seems. With the Chicago Street race next on the line, Blaney explained why the Cup Series garage will always play catch-up to the three-time Supercar champion.

SVG is in his own league when it comes to road racing

“I think that they just hurdle for us is just how narrow it is. No room for error. Like, there’s no runoffs, right? So if you mess up, you know, dive in too deep,” Blaney said on the Door Bumper Clear podcast. Pointing to the unforgiving confines that define street and roval layouts. Chicago’s Grant Park circuit spans just 2.2 miles (3.5 km) between concrete barriers. Dive even an inch too deep, and you’ll feel the wall’s kiss before you can correct. Blaney’s blunt assessment cuts to the core. Unlike ovals with vast runoff zones, road courses demand precision steering under braking, every inch a potential make-or-break moment.

Ryan Blaney elaborated, “A lot of areas have trouble, and that’s why Shane is so good. His technique is really good, and he has a lot of experience on these street courses from his V8 days,” Blaney observed. Van Gisbergen’s Australian Supercars background, with marquee events like the Bathurst 1000 and the Adelaide 400, honed his skill in narrow, high‑stakes street setups. His first win came in Chicago, and since then he’s been on a absolute tear on road courses. Three wins in the Xfinity rookie year, followed by that mega win in Mexico City.

“He just has a better understanding of it than a lot of people. A lot of technique here. It would take 10 years for me to get to halfway what Shane can do with his right foot. I might be done racing by the time I figure it out. That’s how good he is.” Blaney concluded, highlighting SVG’s mastery of weight transfer and braking modulation. SVG’s ability to trail-brake deep into corners, combined with swift transition out onto the power, echoes strategies seen in Formula 1’s narrow-street battles. It’s a skill set that Blaney recognizes as the standard to beat.

Well, experts and fans alike have been obsessed with SVG’s footwork, and they have tried to dissect it through the foot cam. The Kiwi driver brought in the heel-and-toe technique, where, using the right foot, he can hit both the brake and blip the throttle while shifting. Thanks to Next Gen car’s five-speed sequential transaxle, SVG can use his road racing craft and drive away from the rest of the competition. And it won’t be a surprise that he pulls off another big win this weekend.

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Top contenders for the Chicago Street race

Shane van Gisbergen returns as the man to beat. He dominated Grant Park in July 2023, winning in his NASCAR Cup debut and leading 24 laps in the rain-shortened event (from 100 laps to 78). His fusion of Supercars-refined technique and NASCAR car control makes him the favorite. William Byron, a past winner at Watkins Glen and COTA, combines raw speed with growing street-circuit savvy. With multiple podiums and an average road-course finish around 11.0, Byron has become a serious threat in these formats. And can challenge SVG’s supremacy.

Christopher Bell, a three-time road-course winner (including Indianapolis Road in 2023), thrives on precision and late-race restarts. His wins underscore his aptitude for tight braking zones and barrier-lined circuits. The underdog to watch in the Chicago race is Chris Buscher. Though he’s yet to score a win in 2025, Buescher was the one who beat SVG in his game last year at Watkins Glen. So watch out, Buescher might be the one who can rival SVG’s dominance.

Another wildcard winner could be Alex Bowman. The defending race winner is in the same scenario, backed up against the wall, desperate for a win. He did his job as a teammate at Atlanta, helping Chase Elliott win the race. Now he needs to be a little selfish and look out for himself and snag that all-important winner’s sticker for his #48 Chevy.