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Will Shane Van Gisbergen replace Chase Elliott as the next NASCAR king? Last season was a nightmare for Chase Elliott, who missed out on the playoffs. Despite a strong season turnaround, the Hendrick Motorsports driver has only one win in the 2024 season.
What’s most surprising is that Elliott was not able to take advantage of it. It was shocking, to say the least, how difficult it was for him to succeed on road courses. Meanwhile, rookie driver Shane van Gisbergen had a great season. The New Zealander made a big splash with his performance in the Xfinity Series.
To be honest, this raises the simple question of whether he will inherit Elliott’s coveted NASCAR championship. Chase Elliott needs to be wary of the threat of SVG after a dismal run on the road.
After a lackluster 2023 season, Chase Elliott has bounced back in a big way for this season. Not only is he reliable, he is just 10 points behind championship leader and fellow HMS driver Kyle Larson. Elliott still has a great chance to repeat his 2022 success with four regular Cup Series races remaining. How do you react? Did Chase Elliott put his precious NASCAR crown on the line against Shane Van Gisbergen? React.
Even if he had a good chance, something must be bothering him and his camp. Elliott was once considered a street course specialist, but somehow found it very difficult to win there.
The No. 9 driver’s only win of the 2024 season came at Texas Motor Speedway. Elliott did not perform as well as expected at Sonoma Raceway in June, finishing fourth behind winner Larson. The Georgia-born driver used to dominate road courses. Chase Elliott was the king of road courses, winning seven road course races over four seasons from 2018 to 2021.
But a lot has changed since the introduction of the Next Generation car. Elliott’s track record is not bad, but it has fallen short of expectations. Meanwhile, Shane van Gisbergen made his race debut at the Chicago Street Course last year and won a Cup Series race.
In his first full-time season in the Xfinity Series, the New Zealand driver has continued to perform well. In the 2024 season, SVG has three wins to his name. What’s even more amazing is that all of these wins have come on road and street circuits. SVG has now won two of the three NASCAR races held at the Chicago street circuit.
Repost to celebrate @shanevg97’s Xfinity Series win! https://t.co/nuJQeRmzXQ pic.twitter.com/tC6gowcjtN
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) July 6, 2024
It’s hard for anyone to execute a plan on a street circuit, but Shane Van Gisbergen has done it beautifully. Not only is he fun to watch, but his consistency and attitude make him a formidable competitor on road courses. With SVG making such a big impact, Chase Elliott’s reign as the king of road courses is definitely in jeopardy. But what can Elliott do to avoid this? Chase Elliott should use Shane Van Gisbergen’s threat as inspiration
Shane Van Gisbergen’s threat should motivate Chase Elliott. “Not everyone makes it”: Kelly Earnhardt and NASCAR insiders share the brutal truth about Cup Series dreams. Chase Elliott’s talent on road courses is undeniable.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver has proven his skills in the past, but now he lacks confidence. Elliott and teammate Kyle Larson started fourth and fifth, respectively, at Sonoma Raceway earlier this year. But in the end, Larson won. The bottom line is that Chase Elliott is a guy who doesn’t give up easily, especially on road courses. Despite that, he’s not far from winning. In fact, he should use the threat of Shane Van Gisbergen as motivation to do better.
The interesting thing is that, excluding the playoff races, there’s only one road course left in SVG. Chase Elliott also has the opportunity to compete hard at Watkins Glen International and Atlanta Motor Speedway. With his postseason success under his belt, Elliott may look to win one or both of those events to get back on track on the road. Nothing is insurmountable for the 2020 Cup Series champion, but it’s easier said than done.
Elliott has had success at Watkins Glen, and the HMS star should be optimistic about his chances at The Glen after two wins, four top-five and four top-10 finishes. If Chase Elliott doesn’t win either road race, do you think Shane van Gisbergen will take the Road Race King title? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.