The big question coming into this weekend’s Chicago street race was: will Shane van Gisbergen be able to repeat his past heroics? Although he hasn’t defended his NASCAR Cup Series win just yet, today’s Xfinity race win was just the message he wanted to send to his competitors.

Trading blows with Kyle Larson early in the race to clear the traffic on late-race restarts, he was a class apart from the rest of the field. For a moment in the race, when the yellow fever started to catch up, it felt like SVG would be up against time making it up the field. But, he made the most of his skills in making passes on the restarts. And once he got back in the lead, there was no stopping him.

SVG and Kyle Larson put on a show for the fans

Last time around, when Larson was up against van Gisbergen in the Xfinity Series, it was at COTA. Back then, the HMS star sneakingly ran home with the win as the Kiwi Speedster was involved in an intense battle with Austin Hill. However, this time around, both drivers respectfully traded blows. Despite some early progress by Larson, it was SVG who had the last laugh, as he did not only outrun Larson but the entire field to bag his third win of the season. The highlight though remains the fierce battle between HMS star Kyle Larson and the Kiwi, which seems to be SVG’s favorite part of the race too.

“Great race at the start with Kyle, he was really good on the restarts and we made our car better for the second set of tires … It was cool we were waving each other thumbs up and really respectful but big moves. He was amazing on the brakes and on the bumps, so really cool, learned a lot, he probably learned a lot from me.” Shane van Gisbergen said in the post-race interview.

This was his second win in the Windy City, and he is now favored to sweep the weekend by winning the Cup Series race. However, despite his success, he still has his feet on the ground and is focused on tomorrow’s big event. “It’s a privilege to race here; this event is amazing what NASCAR has done. What a show, so pretty cool feelings. Hopefully, we can repeat tomorrow,” SVG concluded.

Big talks and some bold predictions were put to bed by SVG after his triumphant victory today at Chicago Grant Park. But it would feel like a half-done job for the driver himself if he cannot retain his crown by winning the Cup Series race on Sunday.

Is SVG now a clear favorite to defend his Chicago crown?

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Winning the Xfinity Series race just goes to show the command the Kiwi speedster has on his road racing craft. Never once did he look to be on the edge, trying to force the issue. Rather, he made use of his experience and skill set to weave his way across the field. However, tomorrow’s race could be a different ball game for the driver, given how parity racing with the Gen-7 car allows for a close match-up.

Although Kyle Larson found himself on the receiving end of things today, he is optimistic about his chances in the Cup car. “I think my car is much more competitively matched to his (SVG) car for tomorrow. My car’s really good, so that gives me confidence for tomorrow. But Cup races are really, really hard. There’s way more good cars, way more good drivers. It’s tough, but I like my chances for tomorrow,” the HMS star said after finishing P3.

Starting from the pole with the No. 5 Chevy that has been upfront throughout the season, Larson isn’t just trying to play bluff. Shane van Gisbergen isn’t far off himself, starting P5 behind Larson.