“He Makes You Be Perfect”: Zilisch Outduels SVG at Sonoma in Sonoma Xfinity Showdown
- Crystal Clay
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
By Crystal Clay
SONOMA, Calif. — In a race shaped by precision, tire strategy and respect, Connor Zilisch held off Shane van Gisbergen in the closing laps at Sonoma Raceway on Saturday to score his fourth career NASCAR Xfinity Series win.
But the story wasn’t just about the victory. It was how Zilisch earned it, and who he beat to get there.
“I knew I could do it all along,” Zilisch said. “It was just a matter of executing and doing my job. You have to be perfect to beat Shane. He’s really good.”
Van Gisbergen, who swept both the Cup and Xfinity races in Chicago the week prior, entered Sonoma as the driver to beat. He won the pole in both series and showed his usual poise on road courses. But this time, Zilisch didn’t just keep up. He learned, adapted and closed the deal.
Zilisch’s poise on road courses traces back to his early racing days in Europe. In 2020, he became the first American to win the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy, a spec series that tests raw racecraft against international talent. That experience taught him patience and precision, both of which mattered as Sonoma’s long green-flag run unfolded.
But Zilisch also credited van Gisbergen for helping him evolve.
“I learned a lot about how he races in Chicago,” he said. “Where he pushes, how he saves his tires, how he sets the pace. I used that today.”
The two drivers traded momentum throughout the race, carefully managing tire falloff early in each stint before ramping up the pace. With only two cautions, the final 34 laps ran green. Both drivers created a 13-second gap to the rest of the field.
“We were kind of playing cat and mouse,” Zilisch said. “That last run was really tough. We were both pushing to the limit.”
Zilisch and van Gisbergen raced hard but clean. One week earlier, van Gisbergen passed Zilisch late in Chicago with a physical move. After that race, the two shared an elevator ride and a laugh.
“I said, ‘I’ll get you back next week,’” Zilisch recalled.
This time, van Gisbergen got close — even bumped Zilisch in Turn 4 and threatened a crossover in Turn 7 — but backed off when it counted.
“He knew he hit me in four, and that’s why he got the chance at seven,” Zilisch said. “I think he wanted to pass me fairly. That says a lot about the kind of driver and person he is.”
Zilisch said the two exchanged hand signals under caution and shared a mutual respect that made the battle fun.
“I wouldn’t want to beat him the wrong way, and he wouldn’t want to beat me that way either,” he said. “I respect the hell out of the guy. He’s a good dude and a good friend.”
Credit: SONOMA, CALIFORNIA - JULY 12: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #88 Red Bull Chevrolet, poses for photos after winning the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on July 12, 2025 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
While Zilisch took pride in the win, he said the biggest takeaway was the quality of the racing. And the learning continues.
“It’s fun racing him,” Zilisch said. “Every restart, we’d pull up next to each other, flip each other off, give thumbs up. It’s just fun.”
And then, with a smile, he added, “But it’s also really fun to beat him.”
The rivalry will likely continue at Watkins Glen, where van Gisbergen has already proven capable. Zilisch is ready for more.
“He’s already had a full career,” Zilisch said. “I’m just getting started. I’m going to enjoy racing against him while I can.”
Sonoma is Cup Series veteran AJ Allmendinger’s home track, and he knows it well. But even he says van Gisbergen’s impact is redefining what elite looks like on road courses.
“When you do what he’s been doing, it overshadows everybody — rightfully so,”
Allmendinger said. “He’s the elite on these tracks right now. We’re all chasing him.”
Allmendinger has yet to win at Sonoma, despite earning the pole in 2015 and leading laps in 2014. Still, he said van Gisbergen’s dominance is something the entire garage can learn from.
“You try to learn from it, but you can’t let it torment you,” he said. “There’s still styles I have that I think are good, and there are others I’ve got to keep improving.”
Even Jimmie Johnson, one of the most accomplished drivers in NASCAR history, took note of what unfolded between van Gisbergen and Zilisch at Sonoma, and in Chicago the week prior.
“Shane’s understanding of how to position the car, the way he manages the pedals, how he doesn’t oversaturate the front tires and uses them to rotate — it’s just really impressive,” Johnson said. “He makes it look effortless and carries more speed than anyone through the center of the corner.”
But Johnson said what stood out even more was who was racing with him.
“To watch he and Zilisch duke it out, not just here but in Chicago, was something special,” he said. “SVG is really impressive, but to see a young
driver come along and go toe to toe with him at this level is quite impressive as well.”