Given the level of competition, it’s premature to concede Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race to Shane van Gisbergen, but the New Zealander nevertheless brings plenty of swagger to The Loop 110 on the Chicago Street Course (4:30 p.m. ET on CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
“It’s just like the tracks I’ve grown up racing on,” Van Gisbergen said of the 2.2-mile, 12-turn circuit. “In Supercars there are a lot of street circuits on the schedule, so I’m comfortable with the walls.
“It’s similar to a few tracks that I raced in Australia, whereas most of these guys aren’t used to street circuits. Just something I’m comfortable with and have spent many years racing.”
Complicating SVG’s push for a second straight NASCAR Xfinity Series win, however, is the presence of Connor Zilisch, who will turn 19 on July 22. A road course phenom in his own right, Zilisch won his first career Xfinity Series race last year at Watkins Glen.
In three road course starts in the series, the driver of the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet has three poles and two victories, the second one coming in March at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Zilisch is looking forward to pitting his skills against those of the three-time Australian Supercars champion.
“SVG and I are good buddies,” Zilisch said. “I’ve never really had the opportunity to race head-to-head with him. We’re going to be in the same cars, so it’s going to be up to the driver.
“It’s a track that Shane has a little more experience on, but I love street courses. I’ve won races on street courses (in Mazda MX-5 Cup), so hopefully I can pick up Chicago quickly and have a shot at it.”
— NASCAR Wire Service —