Shane van Gisbergen unfazed by possible end of Chicago street race as he eyes new NASCAR challenges

Three years ago, Shane van Gisbergen stunned the racing world, winning in his 2023 Cup debut at Grant Park in downtown Chicago. The city and NASCAR took a gamble on racing stock cars on a 12-turn street circuit around Grant Park and Lake Michigan. It was the first of its kind in Cup Series history, and it worked.

Fast forward to 2025, and NASCAR returns to the Windy City for what could be the final edition of the Grant Park 165. The three-year contract NASCAR signed with the city of Chicago in 2022 is in its final guaranteed year, with two mutual extension options yet to be exercised.

While fans and stakeholders alike continue to speculate about the event's future, van Gisbergen remains unfazed.

"Yeah. Like, I will have good memories of that place forever... So, if it's the last one, it's what it is, but try and go out with a bang too" SVG said in a conversation with FOX Sports' Bob Pockrass.

Shane Van Gisbergen's victory in the 2023 race was nothing short of clinical, outdueling Justin Haley and Chase Elliott after a rain-delayed, time-shortened race. He sliced through traffic on a slippery downtown layout, from 18th on the grid, to take the lead late and secure the historic win.

No driver had won their first Cup start in over 60 years. It earned the Kiwi a developmental deal with Trackhouse Racing at the time, and a full-time seat in the No. 88 Chevrolet this year. Van Gisbergen enters the 2025 Grant Park 165 as one of the favorites again. Few in the field can match the street circuit experience of the three-time Supercars champion.

Trackhouse Racing team owner Justin Marks (L) with Shane Van Gisbergen before Viva Mexico 250. Source: Getty

In 2024, the race was again impacted by weather, as Alex Bowman ended an 80-race winless streak to add his name to the street race history.

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"I love new places": Shane van Gisbergen leans into NASCAR's street course evolution

Shane Van Gisbergen (C), Christopher Bell (L), and Chase Elliott after the NASCAR Cup Series Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Source: Getty

For Shane van Gisbergen, every street race in the NASCAR Cup Series feels like uncharted territory, and that's exactly how he likes it. From his shocking debut win in Chicago two years ago to conquering Mexico City earlier this season, the Kiwi has built a niche by embracing discomfort.

However, reports from The Athletic suggest NASCAR is nearing a deal to host a street race in the San Diego area, and the winds of change may be blowing. NASCAR executive Ben Kennedy has said there is 'room' for multiple street circuits on the schedule, but if Chicago departs, San Diego seems poised to take its place.

Regardless, van Gisbergen isn't looking back.

"I love new places too. Like there's talk of, is it San Diego or something like that? Yeah, I always want to go try new places, and I enjoy Mexico for something different" van Gisbergen told Bob Pockrass.

That hunger for novelty is what brought him here in the first place, and it's what might carry him westward if San Diego becomes the next stop on NASCAR's street racing map. Amid the obscurity, Chicago Track President Julie Giese insisted on execution (via News 10):

"Right now the focus is on let's execute a really great 2025. We'll continue to have the conversations with the city. But right now, honestly, the more consistent conversations are the planning conversations."

Kyle Larson (5), Daniel Suarez (99), and Shane van Gisbergen (88) during the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220. Source: Getty

There's a quiet irony to it all. The Chicago course introduced Shane van Gisbergen to the American audience. It was supposed to be an experiment and a platform for new drivers. Two years later, he's proved that he belongs, but the stage might soon vanish.

Even as NASCAR looks to San Diego and other venues, Chicago still matters. It's a top-three market for NASCAR globally, and this weekend might be the final test to decide if the sport stays parked in the city's heart or turns elsewhere.