Jeff Gordon 'a mere mortal' on road courses compared to Shane van Gisbergen

No driver in NASCAR history has won more road course races than Jeff Gordon, who won nine during the course of his Hall of Fame career. 

But that mark could be tied this season and shattered next year by Shane van Gisbergen, the 37-year-old road course ace who won his seventh road course race on Sunday at Watkins Glen. 

For Gordon, a 93-time Cup winner and four-time champion, there is no comparison between the two. 

Jeff Gordon a "mere mortal" compared to SVG

"I consider myself a mere mortal compared to him," Gordon said Monday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. "It's really impressive. To go to Chicago that very first time and win that race, we were all in awe. He's only continued to show just how talented, how good he is and the separation he's put on the rest of the field."

Van Gisbergen won in his Cup debut at the Chicago Street Course in 2023 and won Sunday's race at Watkins Glen in improbable fashion. After making a green flag pit stop during the final run of the race and being 29 seconds behind the leaders, van Gisbergen got back to the top spot within just 17 laps and won the race by 7.288 seconds over Michael McDowell. 

Should Van Gisbergen win at Naval Base Coronado on June 21 and Sonoma on June 28, he would tie Gordon's all-time road course win record and have the opportunity to break it in 2027.