NASCAR News: On road courses Jeff Gordon not fit to shine van Gisbergen’s shoes
In the high-stakes world of NASCAR, where legacies are forged on ovals and road courses alike, a heated debate has ignited over who truly reigns supreme on twisty tracks. At the center of the storm is Shane van Gisbergen (pictured), the New Zealand sensation who’s been tearing up road courses in his Cup Series debut.
–by Mark Cipolloni–
His latest triumph—a commanding win at the Charlotte Roval on Sunday—has now stretched his streak to five straight road course victories, and six overall in just a year and a half. But when one NASCAR insider dared to compare him to the legendary Jeff Gordon, it drew a swift and scorching rebuke from none other than Denny Hamlin.
The controversy kicked off in August on *The Teardown* podcast, where The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi sparred with fellow insider Jeff Gluck over van Gisbergen’s meteoric rise. Gluck didn’t mince words, crowning SVG the greatest of all time (GOAT) on road courses for his blowout margins of victory.
Bianchi, however, pushed back hard, insisting the Kiwi phenom isn’t quite on the same pedestal as Gordon. “Gordon was all-time,” Bianchi argued, pointing to the four-time champion’s nine career road course wins—impressive in an era when NASCAR scheduled just two such races per season.
He even floated the idea that Gordon’s otherworldly talent could have made him competitive in Formula One, adding, “Look at Gordon’s body of work… it would have been interesting to see if there had been more road courses at the time, what his stats would have looked like even more.”
Enter Denny Hamlin, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran and perennial title contender, who unloaded on Bianchi’s take during a recent episode of his *Actions Detrimental* podcast. “Jordan Bianchi is absolutely out of his mind,” Hamlin fumed, his voice dripping with disbelief.
“Yeah, [Gordon’s] on the short-list for the best NASCAR road racer ever. What is he talking about? Does he really think that Jeff Gordon, in his prime, would beat SVG today in a NextGen car? Not a chance. Not a remote chance.”
Hamlin didn’t stop there. He dismantled the comparison by zeroing in on the stark differences in their racing realities—especially the teams behind them. When Gordon ruled the roost in the 1990s and early 2000s, he did so with the unparalleled might of Hendrick Motorsports, NASCAR’s gold standard powerhouse. Backed by cutting-edge engineering, deep pockets, and a stable of top-tier teammates, Gordon’s cars were often untouchable, giving him an edge that bordered on unfair. His road course wins? Solid, no doubt, but rarely by the lopsided margins SVG delivers today.
“He wasn’t racing cars equal to everyone else,” Hamlin pointed out, underscoring how Gordon’s victories came in a less-regulated era where team disparities could make or break a driver’s day.
Contrast that with van Gisbergen’s Cinderella story. Thrust into the Cup Series after a stunning 2023 upset win at the Chicago street race, SVG has been piloting for Trackhouse Racing—a scrappy, upstart outfit that’s the definition of a small team punching way above its weight. With limited resources, a shoestring budget compared to the Hendrick juggernauts, and no safety net of elite infrastructure, van Gisbergen has adapted to the NextGen car’s demands on the fly. Yet he’s not just surviving; he’s dominating.
“SVG is the greatest road course NASCAR driver in history, and he’s only been doing it for a year and a half,” Hamlin declared. “It’s undisputed. Anybody that disputes it, even in my mentions, shut up! I know, you don’t—I compete, you don’t.”
Hamlin’s passion stems from hard-earned experience, but his reverence for Gordon remains intact. “Gordon is on the Mount Rushmore of one of the greatest drivers in history,” he conceded. Still, when it comes to lefts and rights, the gap feels unbridgeable—especially when you factor in the modern car’s equality and SVG’s raw, unfiltered edge.
As van Gisbergen eyes more road course conquests, this clash of opinions serves as a reminder: True greatness isn’t just about wins; it’s about the battles fought to get them. In a sport where small teams dream big, SVG’s run feels like poetry in motion—and Hamlin’s got the mic to prove it.