CHICAGO (July 5, 2025) — On the streets of downtown Chicago, Shane van Gisbergen continues to prove he’s in a class of his own.
The 36-year-old New Zealander captured the pole position for Sunday’s Grant Park 165, clocking in a lap at 88.338 mph on the notoriously tricky 2.2-mile street circuit. With temperatures soaring into the 90s, the heat added yet another layer of complexity to a course already known for its tight corners and unforgiving barriers. But for van Gisbergen, it was just another day at the office.
“I learned a lot in the Xfinity Series car this morning, and that just gives you a great leg up for the Cup car,” van Gisbergen said. “I think it’s great running both cars, it certainly helps.”
And help it did. Van Gisbergen parlayed that experience into a win in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race—his second consecutive Chicago Xfinity victory—then followed it up with two flawless qualifying laps in the Cup Series session later in the day. The pole marks yet another high point in what has become a dominant run for the three-time Australian Supercars champion on American streets.
Just two years removed from his jaw-dropping NASCAR Cup Series debut victory—when he mastered a rain-soaked inaugural Chicago street race—van Gisbergen is showing that his previous success was no fluke. His ability to adapt to the unique demands of street racing has quickly made him a fan favorite and a force to be reckoned with every time NASCAR heads to tight, technical layouts.
Joining van Gisbergen on the front row is Michael McDowell, who posted a fast lap of 87.879 mph. McDowell, one of only three drivers to record top-10 finishes in both prior Chicago street races, knows consistency could be the key again on Sunday.
“Our car’s in the game,” McDowell said. “Tomorrow will be a mixed bag with potential weather in and out. So a lot of variables to go out there and navigate.”
Carson Hocevar (87.824 mph), Tyler Reddick (87.779 mph), and Chase Briscoe (87.734 mph) completed the top five, setting up a tightly packed front of the field that could make for fireworks on Lap 1.
Among the storylines gaining traction this weekend is Katherine Legge, who made history as the first woman to qualify for a NASCAR Cup Series race in Chicago. Legge, a veteran of open-wheel and sports car racing, turned in a lap of 85.744 mph to bump Corey Heim from the grid.
“We would have been a lot faster, I think, had I not kept nicking the wall,” Legge admitted. “I’ve given my crew a lot of work to do from that, but we had to keep pushing to put it in the show. I’m really proud of this team, and I’m very much looking forward to tomorrow.”
The narrow street layout offers little margin for error, and Sunday’s race promises plenty of unpredictability with weather forecasts calling for intermittent showers. Rain would only amplify the drama and elevate the need for driver finesse—something van Gisbergen has showcased time and again.
With his pole win and Saturday’s Xfinity triumph, van Gisbergen continues to cement his reputation as the “Street King” of NASCAR. But as he lines up alongside hungry veterans and ambitious upstarts, the challenge of turning a pole position into another Cup win will be his next test.
If history is any indication, there may be no better driver in the field to meet the moment.
