Shane Van Gisbergen secured his third NASCAR Cup Series victory of 2025 at Sonoma Raceway in the Toyota/Save Mart 350, starting from pole and leading 97 of 110 laps. The rookie driver showcased exceptional strategy by prioritizing pit stops over stage wins, enabling him to keep a strong lead against competitors such as Chase Briscoe. This triumph marks Van Gisbergen’s fourth career <a href="https://www.big14news.com/nascar/”>NASCAR win and sets a new record for the most laps led by a winner at Sonoma.
Record-Setting Performance and Key Race Statistics
Van Gisbergen’s dominance at Sonoma is highlighted by leading 97 of the race’s 110 laps, the highest for any driver in that event. With this victory, he ties for the most wins so far in the 2025 Cup Series season. He is also the first driver since the 1998-99 seasons to win three consecutive road course races starting from pole position. Currently, Van Gisbergen holds the third seed for the 2025 Playoffs.
Chase Briscoe finished in second place, marking his seventh top-five finish of the year. The race was competitive, with a total of 12 lead changes involving six different drivers, underscoring the intensity of the event.
Looking Ahead: Upcoming Critical Playoff Race at Dover
The next major NASCAR Cup Series race, the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Dover Motor Speedway, is scheduled for July 20. This race will be crucial as drivers compete for positioning heading into the Playoffs. Van Gisbergen’s consistent success on road courses, especially his performance at Sonoma, strengthens his reputation as a formidable rookie and adds excitement to the playoff battle moving forward.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What happened to Shane van Gisbergen, Adelaide?
A. Regrettably, Van Gisbergen’s last races didn’t turn out as hoped. On Saturday, he hit Will Brown’s crashed car on the first lap at Turn 4. On Sunday, he faced braking problems that prevented him from completing the race.
Q. Is Shane van Gisbergen still with Jessica Dane?
A. Shane van Gisbergen is dating Jessica Dane. They revealed their relationship to the public in 2022, though they started dating before then. Jessica’s father, Roland Dane, founded Triple Eight Race Engineering, a well-known name in Australian motorsport.
Q. Is Shane van Gisbergen an American citizen?
A. He was the first person from New Zealand to win a race in the Cup Series. Additionally, he holds the record for the most wins by a non-American driver in the NASCAR Cup Series.
