Denny Hamlin has stirred debate in the NASCAR community by declaring Shane van Gisbergen the top road course driver in the sport, following van Gisbergen’s recent victory at the Charlotte Roval. This conversation shines a spotlight on the topic of Shane van Gisbergen NASCAR road racing, as the comparison between current and past legends intensifies.
Hamlin Challenges Comparisons Between Generations
On his Actions Detrimental podcast, Denny Hamlin openly criticized NASCAR journalist Jordan Bianchi for suggesting that Jeff Gordon could match Shane van Gisbergen on today’s road courses. Hamlin forcefully argued against this viewpoint, insisting that Gordon, despite his legendary status, would not be able to outperform van Gisbergen with current equipment. His remarks underscored Hamlin’s conviction that van Gisbergen stands alone among NASCAR’s road racing elite.
“Jordan Bianchi is absolutely out of his mind,”
Denny Hamlin said.
“Yeah, he’s on the short-list for the best NASCAR road racer ever. What is he talking about? Does he really think that Jeff Gordon, in his prime, would beat SVG today in a NextGen car? Not a chance. Not a remote chance.”
– Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver.
Hamlin noted that during Gordon’s era, victories on road courses were not dominating displays, as competition and car parity differed from today’s standards. He highlighted that Gordon was not
“racing cars equal to everyone else,”
arguing that the advancements and balanced competition of the NextGen era provide more measurable results.
Despite acknowledging Gordon’s iconic place in NASCAR history, Hamlin was clear that the distinction in road racing ability is significant.
“But when it comes to turning left and right, they are not close, and SVG is the greatest road course NASCAR driver in history, and he’s only been doing it for a year and a half,”
Hamlin said.
“It’s undisputed. Anybody that disputes it, even in my mentions, shut up! I know, you don’t, I compete, you don’t.”
– Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver.
Ongoing Debate Over Road Racing Greats
The discussion around who is the best NASCAR road course racer has been a hot topic among insiders. In August, Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck had their own exchange on this matter. Jeff Gluck described van Gisbergen as the greatest of all time for road courses, citing his decisive and repeated victories. Bianchi, however, contended that van Gisbergen, while exceptional, had not yet surpassed Gordon’s legendary reputation.
On his podcast, Bianchi presented the argument for Gordon’s enduring significance in racing history.
“Gordon was all-time, and he was so good that at that era, there were people thinking that he could have moved to Formula One and been competitive,”
Bianchi said on The Teardown podcast.
“No offense to SVG, that conversation has been had.”
– Jordan Bianchi, NASCAR Reporter.
Bianchi acknowledged van Gisbergen’s talent while urging consideration of Gordon’s overall achievements.
“I’m not saying that SVG isn’t the greatest, but look at Gordon’s body of work, look at what he did, the number of wins. And it would have been interesting to see if there had been more road courses at the time, what his stats would have looked like even more.”
– Jordan Bianchi, NASCAR Reporter.
Van Gisbergen’s Impact on the NASCAR Record Books
Shane van Gisbergen’s road course record in NASCAR has been remarkable in a very short time. With his win at the Charlotte Roval, he secured his fifth straight road course victory and added a sixth Cup Series road racing win to his career tally. In contrast, Jeff Gordon won a total of nine road course events during his NASCAR career, achieved at a time when only two such races were held per season.
These stats underline the evolving landscape of NASCAR, with more frequent road course events and greater competitiveness. Van Gisbergen’s ascendance reflects both the changing technical demands of the sport and his unique adaptability behind the wheel.
Significance of the Road Racing Discussion
The debate over who deserves the title of NASCAR’s road racing king is more than a matter of statistics. It reflects a clash of generations and the challenges of comparing drivers from different eras, each with their own distinct technology and competitive environments. Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Shane van Gisbergen, and Jordan Bianchi all play a part in keeping this ongoing discussion alive, fueling interest in NASCAR’s evolving road course tradition. As van Gisbergen continues his winning streak, the reverberations of his dominance and the comparison to legends of the past will no doubt shape the narrative around NASCAR road racing for seasons to come.
