Shane van Gisbergen looked unstoppable at Sonoma. Fresh off his Chicago success, the Australian driver grabbed the pole and seemed ready to dominate another road course. But teammate Connor Zilisch had other plans, turning what should have been van Gisbergen’s victory lap into a thrilling battle that went down to the final turn.
How Did Connor Zilisch Outmaneuver Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Van Gisbergen started the Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 from the pole position, but his lead didn’t last long. On lap three, Zilisch moved, passing the No. 88 Chevy coming off turn two. The Australian driver wasn’t done fighting, though. Two laps later, van Gisbergen reclaimed his spot and held it until both JRM cars headed to pit road on lap 18.
The pit stop shuffled both drivers back in the field. When Stage 1 ended, Zilisch was ninth while van Gisbergen settled for 11th. The second stage brought more of the same cat-and-mouse action between the teammates. They battled for the lead and ran side-by-side on several occasions, neither giving an inch.
Another pit stop on lap 43, before Stage 2 wrapped up, once again hurt their finishing positions. Zilisch crossed the line seventh while van Gisbergen finished 12th. But the final stage would be where the real drama unfolded.
Following the restart on lap 51, Zilisch grabbed the lead and never let go. By lap 63, he had stretched his advantage over van Gisbergen to around a second. The No. 9 driver threw everything he had at the No. 88 Chevy, making several bold moves to try and regain the top spot. But Zilisch stayed disciplined and didn’t leave any openings.
The final two laps turned physical when van Gisbergen bumped into Zilisch without causing significant damage to either car. On the last lap, van Gisbergen made one final desperate attempt to pass his teammate. Zilisch held his ground and emerged victorious by a margin of 0.438 seconds.
What Did Dale Earnhardt Jr. Think About His Drivers’ Battle?
After watching his two drivers duke it out on track, team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. faced the cameras with his typical candid approach. When Earnhardt spoke to reporters, he seemed completely unbothered by his teammates’ intense racing.
“I just hope we finished one, two,” Earnhardt said. “And you know, it didn’t matter who it was that crossed the finish line first, but you know, you gotta race hard and try to get the win.”
The NASCAR Hall of Famer understood the delicate balance van Gisbergen had to maintain during the race and explained his approach.
“SVG wanted to win the race, but he’s gotta take care of Connor at the same time,” Earnhardt said. “This is exactly what we saw last week, and with a little bit of a different outcome. But we know that they’re going to more than likely be teammates, racing into the future and beyond.”
.@DaleJr shares his thoughts on today’s battle between @JRMotorsports teammates. pic.twitter.com/g1K2gnTexW
— The CW Sports (@TheCW_Sports) July 12, 2025
What impressed Earnhardt most was how both drivers handled the aftermath. Despite the intense on-track battle, Van Gisbergen showed up in Victory Lane to celebrate with his teammate, proving there were no hard feelings.
“SVG came over to Victory Lane and they had a fun little back and forth about today’s result, and I think this is just kind of a look into the future of what we’re all going to be able to enjoy between those two at the road courses,” Earnhardt added.
The mutual respect between the two drivers suggests JR Motorsports has found the perfect formula for road course success. With more road courses on the NASCAR schedule, fans can expect more thrilling battles between these talented teammates.