Shane van Gisbergen’s Controversial Sonoma Victory Sparks Outrage Among NASCAR Drivers

Shane van Gisbergen, the New Zealand sensation who has taken NASCAR by storm, is no stranger to making headlines. His recent victory at Sonoma Raceway on July 13, 2025, marked his third consecutive road course win in the NASCAR Cup Series, cementing his reputation as a road course maestro. However, the celebration was overshadowed by a brewing controversy that has left fellow drivers seething and fans buzzing with speculation. While van Gisbergen’s dominance is undeniable, whispers in the garage suggest his tactics may have crossed an unspoken line, igniting a firestorm of debate within the NASCAR community.

The Sonoma race saw van Gisbergen deliver a masterclass, leading 97 of 110 laps in a performance that left competitors in his dust. Starting from pole position, the Trackhouse Racing driver showcased his signature braking technique, honed in his Australian Supercars days, to maintain an iron grip on the lead. His No. 88 Chevrolet was untouchable, navigating Sonoma’s tricky elevation changes and technical corners with surgical precision. Yet, it wasn’t just his speed that raised eyebrows—it was the aggressive maneuvers during the Xfinity Series race the day before that set tongues wagging.

In the Xfinity race, van Gisbergen battled fiercely with JR Motorsports teammate Connor Zilisch, an 18-year-old rising star who has emerged as a formidable rival. The duo traded the lead multiple times, with minimal contact, but a critical moment came with two laps to go. Van Gisbergen bumped Zilisch’s No. 88 Chevrolet through the esses, pushing him wide. In a display of restraint, van Gisbergen backed off, allowing Zilisch to recover and ultimately claim the victory. “I couldn’t do it without wrecking him, so just tried every trick I could,” van Gisbergen admitted post-race, emphasizing his commitment to clean racing. Zilisch, gracious in victory, noted, “I said it last week: What he did wasn’t dirty. If you show him respect, he’s going to show you respect back.”

However, the incident reignited memories of van Gisbergen’s controversial move at the Chicago Street Course the previous week. During that race, he outmaneuvered Zilisch on a final restart, a move Zilisch described as less than clean. “I thought he’d race me a little cleaner,” Zilisch said after Chicago, though he later clarified he didn’t view the pass as malicious. The Chicago race also saw a more serious incident that fueled the current unrest. As van Gisbergen approached the white flag, Cody Ware’s No. 51 Ford suffered a catastrophic brake rotor explosion, sending him crashing into the tire barriers at Turn 6. The lack of an immediate caution flag from NASCAR officials sparked outrage, with van Gisbergen himself questioning the oversight. “It’s worrying that they didn’t see how hard that car went into the fence,” he said on a recent episode of Rubbin is Racing, advocating for safety measures like G meters to alert officials to severe impacts.

The Sonoma Xfinity race added fuel to the fire. While van Gisbergen’s decision to race cleanly against Zilisch earned him respect, it didn’t erase the frustration from Chicago, where drivers like Ty Gibbs and Tyler Reddick felt robbed of a chance to challenge for the win due to NASCAR’s delayed caution. Gibbs, who finished second in Chicago, expressed his disappointment, saying, “I would have been all for that [overtime restart] 100 percent. That would have been awesome.” The sentiment was echoed by others, with some drivers privately grumbling that van Gisbergen’s aggressive style, combined with NASCAR’s officiating, gave him an unfair edge.

The controversy doesn’t end on the track. A pit road altercation during the Sonoma Cup race further heightened tensions. During a round of green flag pit stops, Ty Gibbs drove through Brad Keselowski’s stall, narrowly avoiding Keselowski’s crew and clipping a tire held by crewmember Telvin McClurkin. The incident led to a heated shoving match between the crews, though NASCAR ruled no penalty was warranted. The episode underscored the raw emotions coursing through the field, with van Gisbergen’s dominance serving as a lightning rod for frustration.

Van Gisbergen’s meteoric rise in NASCAR is a double-edged sword. His three road course wins in five weeks—Mexico City, Chicago, and Sonoma—have rewritten the record books. He’s now the fastest driver to reach four Cup Series wins since Parnelli Jones in 1967, achieving the feat in just 34 starts. Chase Briscoe likened racing against him to playing basketball against Michael Jordan in his prime, a testament to his otherworldly skill. Yet, his success has disrupted the status quo, challenging drivers who have spent decades mastering oval tracks to contend with a road course specialist who seems untouchable.

The Kiwi’s background in Australian Supercars, where contact-heavy passes are heavily penalized, has shaped his racing philosophy. “In this type of racing, it ran through my head into Turn 11 on the last lap, like you’re allowed to just run through people and bump them wide,” van Gisbergen said after Sonoma. “But I’m not going to do that.” His commitment to clean racing, while admirable, hasn’t fully quelled the discontent. Some drivers feel his aggressive moves, even if within the rules, exploit the chaos of road course racing, where tight corners and limited run-off areas amplify contact.

The fanbase is equally divided. On social media, some hail van Gisbergen as a revolutionary talent, with one Reddit user proclaiming, “You don’t win three races in the Cup Series and not have actual legitimate talent.” Others, however, argue his road course dominance overshadows his struggles on ovals, where he has yet to crack the top ten. “How about SVG gets a top-10 at an oval first,” one fan posted, reflecting the skepticism about his versatility. Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks, however, remains unwavering in his support. “For his level of intelligence and how he studies and adapts, there’s a real opportunity here for him to figure the ovals out,” Marks said, hinting at a future where van Gisbergen could dominate beyond road courses.

As the NASCAR season progresses, all eyes are on van Gisbergen. His upcoming races, particularly at Watkins Glen, where he finished second in his lone Cup start last year, will test whether he can maintain his road course supremacy. Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding his tactics and NASCAR’s officiating decisions continues to simmer. Drivers like Zilisch, Gibbs, and Reddick are eager to dethrone the “King of the Road,” setting the stage for intense battles ahead.

Van Gisbergen’s journey from Australian Supercars to NASCAR stardom is a testament to his skill and adaptability, but it’s also a lightning rod for debate. Is he a disruptor revolutionizing the sport, or are his tactics pushing the boundaries of fair play? As the playoff race heats up, one thing is certain: Shane van Gisbergen has ignited a storm that shows no signs of subsiding, and the NASCAR world is watching closely to see what he does next.