Stark elevation changes, long roaring straights and slick hot pavement, Shane Van Giabergen has plenty of experience wheeling an unruly V8 beast through a long windy track that lets cars scream through scenic golden hills.

The 36-year-old driver has competed at the legendary Mount Panorama in Bathurst, Australia countless times, a track that shares some familiarity with Sonoma Raceway, the site of the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend. 

Much like how the surrounding wineries crush their grapes to capture their wine, SVG coasted to a dominant victory in the Sonoma Valley by crushing his competitors to capture the checkered flag. 

Ever since the Kiwi shocked the world by winning in his first ever Cup series race in 2022, most knew that any road course he competed at would be his to win. 

So far halfway through 2025, it can’t be over stated how true that assumption is. The Cup series has competed at four road courses this season and Van Gisbergen has won three of them. The lone course he couldn’t nab was way back in March when the series when to Circuit of The Americas, and although he didn’t win, SVG nabbed a top 10. 

Van Gisbergen started the weekend off the same way he did last weekend in Chicago; Taking the pole and asserting dominance on the front row right away. 

The #88 darted past Chase Briscoe as the race started, and his savvy restart ability shined early on. Behind them, William Byron and Ross Chastain jockeyed for position. Byron quickly powered to second but couldn’t make ground on Van Gisbergen, who enjoyed a Sunday drive around the Valley. 

As cars began to pit, the #88 went before the end of the stage, giving the eventual stage win to teammate Ross Chastain. With such a dominant road course force at Trackhouse, it can be forgotten that Chastain and Suarez both have wins on road courses, respectively. The stage win was Chastain’s first of 2025. 

The relatively new pavement of Sonoma was hot and slick on Sunday, and drivers in stage two felt it. Original road course ringer A.J. Allmendinger spun from 5th early in the stage, rendering a possible competitor for Van Gisbergen useless. 

Denny Hamlin, Justin Haley and Carson Hocevar were all victims of on track action as stage two carried on, but all incidents were able to

be managed by the drivers, impressively. 

By lap 45, Van Gisbergen finally was able to start pulling away from his competitors as he did in the stage prior, wheeling the Red Bull Chevrolet ahead of Briscoe and company. 

Teammates Chastain and Suarez got into a scuffle for 14th in turn 11, resulting in the latter spinning out and having some choice remarks for the #1. 

“You better hope I don’t get to him today,” said Suarez after the incident. 

Two weeks ago, Suarez announced he will be mutually parting ways with trackhouse, so I’m sure the patience for his teammates is not as hearty as it once was. 

Van Gisbergen cycled out of pit road in second, falling behind a hungry Kyle Larson. The #5 team would enjoy their first laps led since the Coke 600 in May, but it wouldn’t last long however as Van Gisbergen nudged Larson out of the way and captured the stage two win. 

Stage three saw the chaos start, as the #88 wouldn’t get far without having to work for his lead again. Ryan Blaney was tagged by Chris Buescher and sent flying up on a hill, lodging his car and bringing out the yellow. 

As SVG continued to extend his lead by lap 80, Sonoma regulars began to show their stuff at the front of the pack. Chase Elliott quickly fought up to third, while Buescher remained in 5th. Michael McDowell began to lead on older tires, but the #88 on fresh sticker tires started to slash into the lead quickly. 

Van Gisbergen wasted no time sliding past the #71 of McDowell with ease, bringing the Red Bull Chevrolet back in front yet again. The triumphant overtake wouldn’t be celebrated for long, as an ever so tenacious Cody Ware lost a right rear wheel that just nearly missed Denny Hamlin. NASCAR’s luck with the loose wheels continues to be good, but it’s only a matter of time before the issue becomes far larger, as loose wheels pose an unbelievable threat to spectator safety. 

As SVG had to restart on old tires and snatch the lead back, the continued circus of the late NASCAR restart came into Wine Country. Erik Jones and Noah Gragson spun out, causing various damages to different cars. As the old adage goes, cautions breed cautions. 

Upon the restart commencing, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was given a tap by Ty Gibbs and sent spinning into the tire wall, once again making SVG earn it on worn out tires. 

For the final time, Van Gisbergen held off a desperate Briscoe and began to drive away. Despite Hocevar spinning out, the green would remain out and Trackhouses road course ringer sealed the deal in NASCAR’s only Californian race. 

“So stoked for Red Bull, Trackhouse, Chevy. Unbelievable. Hope everyone enjoyed that”, said Van Gisbergen. “Now we need to keep getting better on the ovals and start proving some people wrong.”

Now seeded at third in the playoff standings, the #88 team will need to continue to get better on the ovals as SVG stated if they want to have any chance at a deep run. 

With Watkins Glen on the horizon, the team will have a great chance to pad some easy points yet again. Before that, Cup returns to oval action in Dover for the monster mile. 

The green flag for NASCARs daunting concrete mile drops at 11:00 AM PST.