Shane van Gisbergen has officially made the streets of Chicago his own. The three-time Supercars champion stormed to victory in Sunday’s Grant Park 165, completing a rare weekend sweep of both the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series races — and etching his name alongside Kyle Busch in the NASCAR record books. It’s a feat only accomplished once before: winning both races from the pole in the same weekend. For van Gisbergen and Trackhouse Racing, it was a weekend of precision, strategy, and masterclass driving on the 2.2-mile, 12-turn Chicago Street Course.
Key Highlights:
SVG completes weekend sweep of Cup and Xfinity races from the pole — first since Kyle Busch in 2016.
Victory clinched under caution after Cody Ware’s late crash triggered a race-ending yellow.
Ty Gibbs finishes second, matching his Cup career-best, while Tyler Reddick surges to third.
SVG now has three Cup wins, all on road courses, with two coming in Chicago.
Massive Lap 3 crash triggered red flag and eliminated multiple contenders early.
Shan Van Gisbergen Claims Rare Double Victory
For the second year running, Shane van Gisbergen turned the Chicago streets into a personal playground, but this time with even more flair. Starting from the pole in both the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series races, the New Zealand native brought home back-to-back wins — a rare accomplishment that ties him with Kyle Busch’s 2016 sweep at Indianapolis.
“What an amazing weekend for me,” SVG said, standing beside the No. 91 WeatherTech Chevrolet.
“Lucky guy to drive some great cars. Huge thanks to Trackhouse, WeatherTech, and everyone who made this happen.”- Shan Van Gisbergen
SVG’s final Cup victory moment came under a cloud — literally and figuratively — as fog rolled in and a late-race caution froze the field after Cody Ware’s wreck. But the timing worked in van Gisbergen’s favor, allowing him to complete Lap 74 and take the checkered flag under yellow.
Ty Gibbs, Tyler Reddick Battle Late but Fall Short
Ty Gibbs had a front-row seat to SVG’s dominance, but on the final restart, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver couldn’t launch with enough force to challenge for the win. Relegated to the outside in Turn 12, he struggled with grip and dropped a car-length back immediately.
“He just got a good enough gap and got away from me. The restart zone is brutal for the outside lane.” – Ty Gibbs
Meanwhile, Tyler Reddick mounted a thrilling charge from 15th to 3rd after a pit stop for fresh tires with nine laps remaining. It was reminiscent of his runner-up performance at the 2023 edition of this race, but once again, he ran out of laps.
“We got stuck in the wrong lane, lost a bit of time passing slower cars,” Reddick said.
“Happy to finish third, but when you see how much ground we made up, it’s tough.” – Tyler Reddick
Early Chaos Wipes Out Contenders
The day wasn’t without carnage. A massive eight-car crash on Lap 3 forced a red flag and dashed the hopes of several contenders. Carson Hocevar initiated the incident when he clipped the inside wall in Turn 10 and slammed the opposite barrier with such force it shifted the concrete blocks.
The crash collected Brad Keselowski, Daniel Suárez, Todd Gilliland, Riley Herbst, Will Brown, and others. Only Suárez and Herbst were able to continue. Keselowski expressed his frustration after being rear-ended in the chaos.
“I slowed down, felt like I was going to stop in time, and then got run over. There was just nowhere to go.” – Brad Keselowski
Another early star, Michael McDowell, led the first 31 laps and won Stage 1 but was undone by a stuck throttle that sent him to the garage for repairs — dropping him 22 laps off the lead.
In-Season Challenge Shakes Up with Wild Eliminations
While SVG stole the spotlight, the NASCAR In-Season Tournament delivered its own drama. Brad Keselowski’s early exit helped Ty Dillon advance, setting up a Round 3 face-off with Alex Bowman at Sonoma. John Hunter Nemechek’s 15th-place finish eliminated Chase Elliott, while Reddick’s podium effort ousted Hocevar.
Other matchups set for Sonoma include:
Gibbs vs. Zane Smith
Ryan Preece (7th) vs. Reddick
Nemechek vs. Erik Jones
Dillon vs. Bowman
Meanwhile, William Byron’s early mechanical failure dropped him to 40th and trimmed his points lead over Elliott to just 13 — one of the day’s quiet but significant stories.
SVG’s Strategy and Poise Shine in the Spotlight
The race may have ended under caution, but van Gisbergen’s control of the final 15 laps showed maturity beyond his Cup Series experience. He overtook Chase Briscoe with a bold move in Turn 2, then muscled through Turn 4 to claim the lead for good.
“We were racing the weather, different pit strategies — it was all over the place,” SVG said. “Stephen (Doran) did a great job calling the race. I had all the info I needed.”
This marked SVG’s third career Cup Series victory, with all wins coming on road courses. It cements his reputation as one of NASCAR’s best international imports — and a driver who could become a serious playoff threat if full-time in the future.
News in Brief: Shane van Gisbergen Chicago Double Victory
Shane van Gisbergen’s back-to-back dominance in Chicago isn’t just a highlight — it’s a statement. With his name now alongside NASCAR legends like Kyle Busch, SVG has proven that street courses are his domain. His precise driving, fearless overtakes, and ability to manage restarts and strategy under pressure have made him a formidable force on NASCAR’s biggest stages. And while others like Ty Gibbs and Tyler Reddick put up a fight, this weekend belonged to the Kiwi.
As the Cup Series heads west to Sonoma Raceway for more road-course action, the rest of the field will be watching SVG — and wondering if they can find a way to beat him on his turf.
ALSO READ: 2025 Grant Park 165 Predictions: Can Anyone Beat Shane Van Gisbergen?
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Who won Chicago NASCAR in 2025?
A. Shane van Gisbergen completes Chicago sweep with dominant Cup Series victory.
Q. Was NASCAR Chicago successful?
A. Following its success, NASCAR and FanSaves extended their partnership into 2024, expanding efforts to boost fan engagement and local impact in Chicago.
