Shane Van Gisbergen claimed a dramatic victory in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup race at Sonoma Raceway, showcasing outstanding performance and teamwork. His Shane Van Gisbergen Sonoma victory came after flawless execution, strong pit stops, and strategic driving that enabled him to hold off fierce competition in a highly contested event.
Van Gisbergen expressed immense satisfaction with his win, attributing it to a perfect blend of car performance, team effort, and strategic decisions. The track’s unique challenges and intense competition marked this race as a significant achievement for both him and Trackhouse Racing.
Top Contenders Share Their Perspectives on the Race
Chase Briscoe, who finished second, acknowledged Van Gisbergen’s dominance throughout the race but took pride in his own performance on one of his toughest tracks.
“I don’t know if I really saw everything (Shane van Gisbergen) had, truthfully. I felt like every time I would get close; he would just start driving back away. We were definitely the second-best car. I don’t really know what more I need – maybe a little bit a grip, but even if I had a little more grip, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to gain the speed that he had. But overall, great day for the Bass Pro Shops Toyota. This is by far my worst race track, so to run second to him, it definitely means a lot, so proud of the day.”
—Chase Briscoe
Chase Elliott secured third place, noting challenges with track conditions but commending his team’s strategy and car speed.
“I’m not sure if there was dirt across the track or what, but it happened a couple of times throughout the day. I was obviously pushing really hard. I just got sliding and ran out of road, but I don’t know that it would have been enough anyways, to be honest. I wasn’t near as good that run than the run before. I’m not really sure why that was, but the call by Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) was great. It was nice to be on offense and give ourselves a shot. I wish I could have made it happen there. I was trying, but I just couldn’t get going like we needed to there at the end. We had a really fast No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet all day. I thought we were really solid. We probably needed a little bit more to get Shane (Van Gisbergen) and Chase (Briscoe).”
—Chase Elliott
Mid-Pack Drivers Reflect on Race Challenges and Team Progress
Michael McDowell finished fourth but highlighted struggles with pace and strategy that hindered stronger placement.
“We needed a little bit more pace out of our No. 71 Gainbridge Chevrolet. We had Project Zin on the car today, which was really cool. Qualifying really hurt us. I think we had decent pace, but we weren’t fast enough to get around the good cars. We got off strategy there, and that didn’t work. Thankfully, we caught a caution and we were able to tires on our Chevrolet and fight our way back. We salvaged a top-five day, but that’s not what we need. We all know what we need to do, and we just weren’t quite good enough to do it today. But this is part of the process. You have good weeks and bad weeks. Last weekend (at Chicago), we had a car that could win. Today, we were a little off. We’ll keep building on it.”
—Michael McDowell
Christopher Bell, finishing fifth, praised the respectful competition with teammate Tyler Reddick during the closing laps.
“We worked really good there as Toyota teammates and (Tyler Reddick) was just talking there about that last lap. I don’t know what else he does, or I do – we are racing for a top-five, a position there, and I took the lane, and he chose not to ship me. I appreciated that. Tires versus no tires, offense versus defense there at the end of the last lap. Tough to race respectful whenever you are out like that, and I get it.”
—Christopher Bell
Tyler Reddick encountered difficulties finding speed during the race but remained determined.
“Today was a bit of a struggle honestly for the Chumba Casino Toyota. We just kind of went backwards – we slid back throughout the whole day and didn’t really get stage points. We just kept fighting all day long. We put tires on there and was able to get through the chaos. We had a shot at fifth, just didn’t want to use Christopher (Bell) up on that last corner, so we settled for sixth.”
—Tyler Reddick
Voices from Further Back: Reflections on Performance and Team Growth
Ty Gibbs, who placed seventh, admitted there was room for improvement but remained optimistic.
“Overall, we had an okay day. Our SAIA No. 54 Camry – we needed to make some adjustments, and I need to do a better job. We had an okay day.”
—Ty Gibbs
Kyle Busch earned a top-10 finish after overcoming handling issues early in the race.
“We had to come from behind all day with our zone Chevrolet. On the initial start, our car had no drive or rear lateral any direction. After falling to the back, Randall (Burnett) and the guys made the call for major chassis adjustments to get the rears working. Those adjustments definitely helped, just wished I could have had that same adjustment again without giving up the track position. We kept working on the balance and in Stage 3, the car was the best it had been. It was simply avoiding wrecks at the end. Proud of the No. 8 team for pushing through and getting a top-10 finish.”
—Kyle Busch
Ty Dillon, finishing 17th, reflected on the intense moments and gratitude for his team’s effort and support.
“It was a rough couple of laps there. Alex (Bowman) and I race really clean. I told him – man, if it wasn’t for the million dollars, I probably wouldn’t have done that, but I had to. It’s been an incredible run for this No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet team. We’ve worked so hard for this opportunity. I can’t thank Matt Kaulig, Chris Rice, Ty Norris and Kaulig Racing for giving me the opportunity to shine again. I’ve worked so hard to get here and I’m just grateful. All of our partners that are on board, this has just been so much fun. We’re going to give it all we’ve got at Dover; put pressure on the guys. I think you’ve seen through this that our team doesn’t quit. I saw the No. 48 there at the end, and I knew it was our opportunity to race hard and go get him. Just proud of this team’s effort.”
—Ty Dillon
Austin Dillon encountered setbacks during the race but remains focused on progress.
“It was a hard battle for the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops / Winchester Chevrolet team. We didn’t really have a lot of speed this weekend, but we did make it better. We made some adjustments mid-race, and then those cautions came out. I had to go through the grass and lost around 15 spots. We got a couple back there at the end, but it’s not what we wanted. We’ll keep digging. We’ve had some good Chevrolet’s the last couple of weekends. Unfortunately, this week, we weren’t as good as we’ve been, but we’ll get better.”
—Austin Dillon
Final Thoughts on the Sonoma Race and Its Impact on the Season
Shane Van Gisbergen’s victory marks a significant moment in the NASCAR Cup season, demonstrating both his skill and the strength of Trackhouse Racing’s Chevrolet. The intense competition highlighted how closely matched many drivers were, with strategic decisions, tire management, and track positioning playing crucial roles.
This win could serve as a momentum builder for Van Gisbergen and his team, while others will take lessons from their performances to refine strategies going forward. Many drivers emphasized the importance of adapting to unexpected challenges such as track conditions and race incidents, signaling continued excitement and unpredictability for upcoming races, including the next stop at Dover.
