Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson has spent his career as the voice of reason, someone with a measured tone who doesn’t get overly excited or overly critical. That’s why Johnson isn’t ready to go overboard with praise for Shane van Gisbergen just yet.
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Sure, the New Zealand driver has somewhat taken the Cup Series by storm with four road course wins and a runner-up in only 35 starts. But when asked if SVG is the greatest road course driver in NASCAR history, Johnson demurred.
“It’s tough to put that label on a guy two seasons into driving stock cars,” Johnson said earlier this week when NASCAR announced a street race next year in Johnson’s native San Diego. “But the conversation is warranted. I think time will tell. He is in another stratosphere compared to road course racers.”
Johnson was witness to the driver who many considered the greatest road course driver in Cup history, namely his teammate, Jeff Gordon. Among Gordon’s 93 career wins, nine came on road courses, five at Sonoma and four at Watkins Glen.
Since retiring as a driver, Gordon, who turns 54 on August 4, has gone on to become second-in-command to team owner Rick Hendrick, and could eventually take over for the now 76-year-old Mr. H., once he ultimately retires.
Johnson believes van Gisbergen is a work in progress, but he certainly has promise to eventually become one of the greatest road course drivers in NASCAR history.
“Seeing him up against Tony Stewart at his peak, that would have been an interesting time to see peak to peak,” Johnson said. “Even Jeff Gordon. We’ve had drivers go on a run on road courses in the past.
“The greatest of all time, I think that is kind of given to someone over a long duration of time versus just a couple of years. The skills he (SVG) has, if he stays in the sport for five, 10 years, in my mind, the way I view it, I would then start to think greatest of all time.
“Fastest guy to be in a car, in a Cup car, that conversation is timely. Greatest of all time, we need more sample sets to choose from.”
That’s Johnson, Mr. Astute and Mr. Measured.
Kyle Petty: SVG has a long way to be a GOAT
Another longtime NASCAR observer, former Cup driver and current analyst Kyle Petty, is a bit more skeptical of van Gisbergen’s overall ability, not just his road racing prowess.
“He is the greatest of the moment in road racing,” Petty said of SVG. “We can’t say anything else. Let’s go all the way back to the 60s. Dan Gurney came into the sport and showed people how to run the road courses. Then along comes Tim Richmond. Then along comes AJ Allmendinger and Marcos Ambrose.
“Now we have SVG. And he has raised the bar. That’s all he’s done right now. Greatest of all time? We use the word great way too much. I’m going to call him the greatest of the moment. That’s where I’m going to stay with it.”
