The Sonoma NASCAR Cup Race: Drivers' Reactions

Shane van Gisbergen is a New Zealand professional racing driver renowned for his versatility across motorsport disciplines, including Supercars, GT racing, and NASCAR.[1][2][3] Born in Auckland, he began his career winning the 2006 New Zealand Formula Ford championship and finishing second in the 2007 Toyota Racing Series before debuting in the Supercars Championship with Stone Brothers Racing that year.[3] In Supercars, van Gisbergen amassed 80 wins over 508 races, securing three drivers' championships in 2016, 2021, and 2022, making him one of the series' most successful drivers.[2][4][6] He claimed three Bathurst 1000 victories (2020, 2022, 2023) and two Jason Richards Memorial Trophies, while also winning the PIRTEK Enduro Cup in 2016 with Triple Eight Race Engineering.[1][3][4] His 2022 season was record-breaking with 21 wins, including a second Bathurst triumph alongside Garth Tander.[1][3] Beyond Supercars, he excelled in endurance racing, winning the 2016 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup and Bathurst 12 Hour in a McLaren 650S GT3.[1][2][4] He debuted at Le Mans in 2022 and competed in rallying, scoring points on his World Rally Championship debut.[1] Transitioning to NASCAR in 2023, van Gisbergen made history by winning his Cup Series debut on the Chicago street course for Trackhouse Racing—the first modern-era driver and first New Zealander to do so.[1][2][4] In 2024 with Kaulig Racing, he secured three Xfinity Series wins at Portland, Sonoma, and Chicago.[4] He raced full-time in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series with Trackhouse, highlighted by a victory at Mexico City and another Chicago win, despite a challenging Daytona 500 start.[3][4] His adaptability on road courses and ovals underscores his ongoing relevance in American motorsport.[2][5]

Kevin Harvick is a retired NASCAR driver who concluded a professional racing career spanning more than two decades in 2023[3]. He is widely recognized as one of NASCAR's most accomplished and consistent competitors. During his career, Harvick earned 60 NASCAR Cup Series victories, ranking 10th all-time[1]. His most significant achievement came in 2014 when he won the Cup Series championship in his first year driving for Stewart-Haas Racing, securing the title with a dramatic victory at the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway[1]. That championship season included five wins, a career-high eight poles, and 2,137 laps led[2]. Beyond his Cup Series success, Harvick demonstrated versatility across NASCAR's multiple series. He won the NASCAR Busch Series (now Xfinity Series) championship in 2001, his second full season in the series, while simultaneously competing full-time in the Cup Series—a feat that made him the first driver in NASCAR history to accomplish this dual achievement[2]. He earned a second Xfinity Series championship in 2006[3]. Harvick also won the K&N Pro Series West championship in 1998[2]. Among his most prestigious victories, Harvick won the 2007 Daytona 500 by 0.02 seconds over Mark Martin[3]. He is one of only four drivers in NASCAR history to win all four of the sport's crown-jewel events: the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, Brickyard 400, and Southern 500[2]. Additionally, he advanced to the Championship 4 five times, including three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019[3]. Harvick began his racing career in go-karts, earning multiple national championships before progressing to stock car racing in 1992[3]. His journey from early success in regional series to becoming a championship-winning driver exemplifies his dedication and skill in professional motorsports.