SVG Wins the Xfinity Series Chicago Race

One year ago, not many fans knew of the name Shane van Gisbergen, but all of that would change in the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race on a street circuit. SVG went on to stun the world and win, and now he’s running well being a full-time driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He has already won back-to-back races at Portland and Sonoma, now he returned to Chicago and earned his third win of the season.

For the 35-year-old New Zealander, he would lead late and catch back up to the lead like it was nothing. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon in downtown Chicago where according to Chicago Street Race President Julie Guise, the track was packed and nearly half of the fans were attending their first race. It was later confirmed by NBC, that the race was the most viewed Xfinity Series race on NBC since 2015. 

The fans enjoyed a great battle between Kyle Larson and Shane van Gisbergen, in which SVG would climb his way back up through the field to take the lead in the closing laps.

“That’s awesome, what a great race,” said a happy SVG. He would also kick a rugby ball into the crowd as part of his new tradition when he wins.

“It was pretty wild there at the end, but I can’t thank the Kaulig Racing guys enough. It was great racing to start with Kyle [Larson]. He was really good on the restarts and we made our car better with the second set of tires, but whooo, that was fun at the end passing all those guys. Had some great racing with everyone.”

SVG and Jesse Love tied for the most laps led at 14, while Ty Gibbs would finish second, Larson would finish third, then Parker Kligerman and Love would finish out the top five. 

“I was having a blast,” Larson said. “Obviously, I wanted to win today but I wanted to learn more than anything. I wanted to get to battle with him because he’s just really good at creating shapes and angles and passing. That was an objective of mine and the first opportunity I got, I wanted to get racing because I just didn’t know if I’d have another opportunity to race with him.

“My car seemed to be a little better than his for a lap or two which helped me get by him and was able to protect and stuff but he was so much better than me.”

There were different kinds of pit strategies throughout the race, including when drivers like Jesse Love pit during the first stage break, and drivers like SVG, Larson, and Gibbs pitted on lap 24, while under caution. The early front runners were shuffled back but they worked hard to get back up towards the front. 

Whether it was being punted by Sam Mayer or trading paint with Ty Gibbs, there was no stopping Shane van Gisbergen in his No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet. Gibbs wished he had raced more aggressively.

“We had a bad pit stop and I feel like I used my stuff up a lot to get back through the field,” said Gibbs, whose team had a problem on the tire change. “I’d say it would have been close in the end though.”

Connor Mosack, Austin Hill, Joey Logano, Justin Allgaier, and Austin Green rounded out the top 10. Logano took over the No. 15 for AM Racing, in which Deegan and AM Racing would part ways after the weekend. Austin Green, son of former Xfinity Series Champion David Green, would earn his third top 10 in four starts this season.

Last year’s winner Cole Custer still holds the points lead over Justin Allgaier by 38 points, as they head next to the Tricky Triangle that is Pocono Raceway. The Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 will be at 3 pm EST this Saturday.