Shane van Gisbergen gets candid about about Connor Zilisch after Chicago clash

Shane van Gisbergen opened up about his aggressive late-race move on teammate Connor Zilisch in a new interview, describing it as a calculated opportunity rather than anything personal. In a video shared on X, Van Gisbergen praised Zilisch’s talent while defending his controversial maneuver that helped take the win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Chicago Street Course.

The video, posted by The CW Sports on their official X account, featured a post-race interview with van Gisbergen. In the clip, Shane van Gisbergen directly addressed the incident with Connor Zilisch. He said,

“Yeah, he’s a great young driver… I thought that was my opportunity and took it, and yeah. It was an awesome 1-2 for the team.” (0:51)

This move came with just two laps left in The Loop 110, when Shane van Gisbergen out-braked Connor Zilisch and nudged him wide in Turn 1 on the tight Chicago street circuit. The two Red Bull teammates were running 1-2, with van Gisbergen behind Zilisch until that point.

Zilisch had been leading since Lap 38 and was managing tire wear and fuel. But van Gisbergen, who had pitted later and was on fresher tires, launched an attack in the final moments. He crossed the finish line 0.823 seconds ahead of Zilisch.

This was van Gisbergen’s first Xfinity Series start of the 2025 season—and he made it count. Despite a failing cool suit and earlier hurdles due to pit strategy and carburetor issues, the New Zealander stayed composed.

He restarted from 19th on Lap 29 but surged through the field. By Lap 36, he was in 7th and closing fast on Zilisch.

With this win, Shane van Gisbergen became the sixth different JR Motorsports driver to win this year—a new record for the team in a single season. It was also his second straight win on the Chicago street circuit and the fourth NASCAR win of his career.

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“We Can Try Some Stuff Now”—Shane Van Gisbergen’s Approach to the Chicago Cup Race Shows He’s Playing the Long Game

Ahead of Sunday’s Cup Series race in Chicago, Shane van Gisbergen spoke with Cup Scene in an interview where he shared his team’s approach and mindset heading into the event. Bob Pockrass, NASCAR analyst for FOX Sports, asked van Gisbergen if he would be experimenting with his setup for the road course.

Van Gisbergen confirmed that adjustments were already in motion. Referencing past setups, he said:

“Uh, we did that at Mexico, and we'll continue to make it better here. So yeah, it's been good to try a few things.” He also explained the challenges of the Chicago track: “It's difficult here because it's a closed sort of practice. What you turn up with is what you're stuck with.” [1:59 onwards]

He made it clear that the team’s current position—already with a win under their belt—gave them some flexibility. SVG added:

“There are some feelings I've struggled with in the car the last couple of years, and it's nice to try some things… That may change our strategy. If we're in a position to get a playoff point, we'll probably try and get that, but that'll put us deep in the field for the next stage.”

The 75-lap Challenge Round 2—Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Course is set for Sunday, July 6, 2025. Fans can catch the action live via TNT Sports, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90 starting at 2 p.m. ET.