Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson has consistently been a voice of reason throughout his career. Typically measured in tone and outlook, he 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 finish in only 35 starts. SVG, who won in Mexico, Chicago, and Sonoma, currently sits 26th in the season’s standings.
His road course mastery landed him a playoff spot as well. 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, 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 retires.
Johnson believes van Gisbergen is a work in progress. But he certainly has the 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. Even Jeff Gordon. We’ve had drivers go on a run on road courses in the past,” Johnson said.
“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, [or] 10 years, in my mind, the way I view it, I would then start to think greatest of all time,” he added.
“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. And much unlike Kyle Petty.
Petty: SVG has a long way to be a GOAT
Another longtime NASCAR observer, former Cup driver and current analyst Petty, is a bit more skeptical of van Gisbergen’s overall ability, not just his road racing prowess.
“He [SVG] is the greatest of the moment in road racing. 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,” Petty said.
“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,” he added.
Opinions apart, the fact remains that no driver was able to match van Gisbergen on road courses this season. And, as he continues to hone his skills on ovals, it is a matter of time before he becomes a formidable presence in NASCAR.
