Shane van Gisbergen reveals the one city he actually likes

Shane van Gisbergen hates cities. But ironically, the 36-year-old from Auckland, New Zealand, credits the "Windy City" for changing his life. 

Two years ago, van Gisbergen won the first NASCAR Cup Series race on the streets of Chicago in his NASCAR debut. That win turned into a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign that bore three wins in 2024, which, in turn, provided van Gisbergen a full-time Cup Series opportunity in 2025. 

After winning in Mexico City on June 15 and securing the right to fight for a Cup Series title, van Gisbergen is returning to Chicago this weekend in search of a weekend sweep. 

"This place is pretty cool to me every time I come back," van Gisbergen said in a news conference on Friday. "I hate cities, so I don't really like the place. But when you get here, it's pretty cool. I (have) great memories here. This place changed my life, so I'm going to have special memories of this place forever." 

Van Gisbergen then went on to remark that Chicago doesn't feature "enough grass" for his liking. 

The city may not be to van Gisbergen's liking, but the racetrack constructed in the middle of it certainly is. After winning the Cup Series race in Chicago in 2023, van Gisbergen — the odds-on favorite to win on Sunday — won the Xfinity Series race in 2024. 

It's safe to say the road course ringer will have a Sears Tower-sized target on his back as he seeks a pair of trophies on the streets of Chicago.