Last year, when Shane van Gisbergen made his NASCAR Cup debut, he really made an impression. Winning your first-ever NASCAR Cup race does that for you. Fast-forward to 2024, and van Gisbergen is steadily proving that victory was no flash in the pan. And it looks like even his competitors are praising him. Recently, Dale Earnhardt Jr‘s veteran driver, Justin Allgaier, who finished P9 in Chicago at the Loop 110, spoke about the Kiwi racer.

So far in 2024, SVG has racked up three wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The latest one was at the Chicago Street Course last night, a track that he is intimately familiar with. Naturally, the New Zealand-born driver is aiming to go two for two in the Windy City, or is it three for three?

So the question was whether he was one of the favorites to win the race. The short answer is that he is a favorite, largely because he has experience in the circuit racing arena. This is what Allgaier acknowledged as. he discussed van Gisbergen’s prowess behind the wheel.

How impressive has Shane van Gisbergen been?

Admittedly, SVG is performing better on road courses compared to ovals; hasn’t he learned very quickly? The Kiwi driver has been pretty consistent in his results, with regular Top 15 finishes, which is incredible. In his first win of the season at Portland, he wasn’t exactly the fastest, but he did cross the line first. Sonoma was a different story, as he was dominant, and he carried on the momentum in Chicago.

Allgaier, who drives the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports and is a substitute driver in the NASCAR Cup Series for Hendrick Motorsports, said some really good things about Shane van Gisbergen during the press conference. He noted, “Sonoma, I would say he was the best car, but I wouldn’t say he was the best car in Portland, by any stretch. I think he did a really good job, cause he won the race. Things go a little bit differently and he probably runs 4th or 5th. I do think that last year in the Cup Series car, he’s been very vocal about it. That the Cup Series car matches way more in line with what he’s used to.”

Do I think he is the favorite? I still think he is the favorite, but I think he’s more of a favorite for Sunday than I think for Saturday. More of a favorite in the Next Gen car than he is in the Xfinity Series car. Do I think he’s going to be the guy to beat? Yes, but I do think this car is going to be a lot different from what he’s comfortable in.”

Allgaier had a solid theory as to why van Gisbergen adapted quicker to the Cup cars, which has merit. It doesn’t take away from the fact that the New Zealander is a great street racer. To that end, Justin Allgaier firmly believes that with more experience, Shane van Gisbergen will grow stronger.

His performances on the ovals are proof of that, and he just keeps getting better and better. Justin Allgaier did admit that in 2023, the changeable weather conditions played into SVG’s hands. However, since the other Cup drivers have a bit more experience, they could also pose a challenge to the Kiwi driver. According to him, SVG’s biggest challenge will be to acclimate to the track quicker than others.

Why does Allgaier’s stance matter? Well, the JRM driver currently sits in 4th place in the Xfinity Series standings, putting him 10 places ahead of SVG. He kicked off the 2024 season with an impressive eighth-place finish at Daytona. And on May 11, he absolutely dominated at Darlington, winning Stages 1 and 2 before taking the checkered flag.

Then on May 26, Allgaier stepped up as a relief driver in the Cup Series again. He started the Coca-Cola 600 in place of Kyle Larson in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 after weather delayed the Indianapolis 500, which Larson had driven in earlier that day. Allgaier stayed in the car for the entire rain-shortened event and finished 13th. What a year for him, indeed!

While Allgaier’s fight for the top spot is with Custer, Hill, and Smith, hearing such things from someone who is ahead of you and is a veteran would come across as an inspiration for Shane van Gisbergen.