'That guy is unbelievable' - SVG rules NASCAR roads
The New Zealander once again showed he's in a completely different class on road and street courses than his rivals as he led 97 of 110 laps to win from pole at Sonoma Raceway in northern California on Sunday.
All three of his wins this year have been from pole — which tied him with Jeff Gordon for a NASCAR record of three consecutive road course victories from the top starting spot. Gordon did it between the 1998 and 1999 seasons.
Victory number four for van Gisbergen — who stunned NASCAR in 2023 when he popped into the debut Chicago street course race from Australian Supercars and won — seemed a given.
His rivals have lamented that "SVG" has a unique braking technique he mastered Down Under that none of them — all oval specialists — can ever learn.
That win in Chicago two years ago led van Gisbergen to move to the US for a career change driving stock cars for the Trackhouse Racing team.
Van Gisbergen is the fastest driver to win four Cup Series races — in his 34th start — since Parnelli Jones in 1969. He's also the winningest driver born outside the US.
"It means everything. That's why I race cars. I had an amazing time in Australia, and then to come here and the last couple weeks, or years, actually, has been a dream come true," said van Gisbergen.
Although he dominated again on Sunday, van Gisbergen pitted from the lead with 27 laps remaining and then had to drive his way back to the front. He got it with a pass of Michael McDowell with 19 laps remaining, but two late cautions made van Gisbergen win restarts to close out the victory in his Chevrolet.
Chase Briscoe was second in a Toyota.
"I never played basketball against Michael Jordan in his prime, but I feel like that's probably what it was like," said Briscoe after not being able to pass van Gisbergen on the two late restarts — the last with five laps remaining.
"That guy is unbelievable on road courses. He's just so good. He's really raised the bar on this entire series."
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The Advertiser
6 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Another Green-Mundine boxing rivalry in the making
A third instalment of the Mundine-Green boxing rivalry is on the cards after Rahim Mundine scored an impressive second-round stoppage in Sydney. With his father and former world champion Antony in his corner, 25-year-old Rahim carried too much power for his Fijian opponent Joe Vatusaqata (1-5, 1 KO) on Wednesday night. Super middleweight Rahim (2-0, 1 KO) was having his first fight in more than three years after injuries derailed his promising rugby league career. He floored the Fijian halfway through the second round and dropped him a second time with a right hand, prompting the corner to throw in the towel. Rahim was on the verge of making the South Sydney NRL side a few years ago but suffered a dislocated hip after being tackled by Joseph Suaalii, who has gone on to star in both league and union. "In hindsight it was a blessing. It made me stronger mentally to be honest," Rahim Mundine said. "I was probably a bit of a softy at the time when it happened, I felt sorry for myself." Anthony Mundine, who won his first fight with arch adversary Danny Green and lost the second, was adamant their sons would meet even though Green's son Archie has yet to have a professional fight. "I'm sure Archie is going to do well, he looks good," Anthony Mundine said. "Danny is talking about him being five times better than him. "It's got to be built up, they've both got to get experience, we want to get them both at their peak." He described Rahim's performance as beautiful, adding he always knew his son had talent. Alex Leapai Jr, another son of a famous fighting father, improved to 5-0-1 (4 KOs) with a first round KO of Herve Silu Mata 3-4 (2 KOs). Leapai's father, also named Alex, unsuccessfully challenged former IBF, IBO and WBO heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2014 and was renowned for his power. "Just growing up always watching dad, I always wanted to be like dad, tough like that, knocking people out," Leapai Jr said. He was coming off the first slight blemish of his professional career, a draw in his last bout. "I've had a long time since February to think about all the stuff I did in that fight and what I didn't do," Leapai Jr said. "Today I made sure that I did it and one of those things was to let my hands go." Another winner on the undercard was New Zealander David Nyika, who bounced back from his loss to cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia with a fifth-round stoppage of fellow Kiwi Nik Charalampous. Nyika (11-1,10 KOs), the self-confessed nice guy who says he doesn't enjoy confrontation, said he had overcome the mental roadblock of his fourth-round KO loss to Opetaia in January and the win was a first step towards a second world title challenge. "I'd never lost like that in the sport of boxing, I credit Jai for whatever success I have in the future because he put me through that test," Nyika said. A third instalment of the Mundine-Green boxing rivalry is on the cards after Rahim Mundine scored an impressive second-round stoppage in Sydney. With his father and former world champion Antony in his corner, 25-year-old Rahim carried too much power for his Fijian opponent Joe Vatusaqata (1-5, 1 KO) on Wednesday night. Super middleweight Rahim (2-0, 1 KO) was having his first fight in more than three years after injuries derailed his promising rugby league career. He floored the Fijian halfway through the second round and dropped him a second time with a right hand, prompting the corner to throw in the towel. Rahim was on the verge of making the South Sydney NRL side a few years ago but suffered a dislocated hip after being tackled by Joseph Suaalii, who has gone on to star in both league and union. "In hindsight it was a blessing. It made me stronger mentally to be honest," Rahim Mundine said. "I was probably a bit of a softy at the time when it happened, I felt sorry for myself." Anthony Mundine, who won his first fight with arch adversary Danny Green and lost the second, was adamant their sons would meet even though Green's son Archie has yet to have a professional fight. "I'm sure Archie is going to do well, he looks good," Anthony Mundine said. "Danny is talking about him being five times better than him. "It's got to be built up, they've both got to get experience, we want to get them both at their peak." He described Rahim's performance as beautiful, adding he always knew his son had talent. Alex Leapai Jr, another son of a famous fighting father, improved to 5-0-1 (4 KOs) with a first round KO of Herve Silu Mata 3-4 (2 KOs). Leapai's father, also named Alex, unsuccessfully challenged former IBF, IBO and WBO heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2014 and was renowned for his power. "Just growing up always watching dad, I always wanted to be like dad, tough like that, knocking people out," Leapai Jr said. He was coming off the first slight blemish of his professional career, a draw in his last bout. "I've had a long time since February to think about all the stuff I did in that fight and what I didn't do," Leapai Jr said. "Today I made sure that I did it and one of those things was to let my hands go." Another winner on the undercard was New Zealander David Nyika, who bounced back from his loss to cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia with a fifth-round stoppage of fellow Kiwi Nik Charalampous. Nyika (11-1,10 KOs), the self-confessed nice guy who says he doesn't enjoy confrontation, said he had overcome the mental roadblock of his fourth-round KO loss to Opetaia in January and the win was a first step towards a second world title challenge. "I'd never lost like that in the sport of boxing, I credit Jai for whatever success I have in the future because he put me through that test," Nyika said. A third instalment of the Mundine-Green boxing rivalry is on the cards after Rahim Mundine scored an impressive second-round stoppage in Sydney. With his father and former world champion Antony in his corner, 25-year-old Rahim carried too much power for his Fijian opponent Joe Vatusaqata (1-5, 1 KO) on Wednesday night. Super middleweight Rahim (2-0, 1 KO) was having his first fight in more than three years after injuries derailed his promising rugby league career. He floored the Fijian halfway through the second round and dropped him a second time with a right hand, prompting the corner to throw in the towel. Rahim was on the verge of making the South Sydney NRL side a few years ago but suffered a dislocated hip after being tackled by Joseph Suaalii, who has gone on to star in both league and union. "In hindsight it was a blessing. It made me stronger mentally to be honest," Rahim Mundine said. "I was probably a bit of a softy at the time when it happened, I felt sorry for myself." Anthony Mundine, who won his first fight with arch adversary Danny Green and lost the second, was adamant their sons would meet even though Green's son Archie has yet to have a professional fight. "I'm sure Archie is going to do well, he looks good," Anthony Mundine said. "Danny is talking about him being five times better than him. "It's got to be built up, they've both got to get experience, we want to get them both at their peak." He described Rahim's performance as beautiful, adding he always knew his son had talent. Alex Leapai Jr, another son of a famous fighting father, improved to 5-0-1 (4 KOs) with a first round KO of Herve Silu Mata 3-4 (2 KOs). Leapai's father, also named Alex, unsuccessfully challenged former IBF, IBO and WBO heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2014 and was renowned for his power. "Just growing up always watching dad, I always wanted to be like dad, tough like that, knocking people out," Leapai Jr said. He was coming off the first slight blemish of his professional career, a draw in his last bout. "I've had a long time since February to think about all the stuff I did in that fight and what I didn't do," Leapai Jr said. "Today I made sure that I did it and one of those things was to let my hands go." Another winner on the undercard was New Zealander David Nyika, who bounced back from his loss to cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia with a fifth-round stoppage of fellow Kiwi Nik Charalampous. Nyika (11-1,10 KOs), the self-confessed nice guy who says he doesn't enjoy confrontation, said he had overcome the mental roadblock of his fourth-round KO loss to Opetaia in January and the win was a first step towards a second world title challenge. "I'd never lost like that in the sport of boxing, I credit Jai for whatever success I have in the future because he put me through that test," Nyika said.
The Advertiser
6 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Gallen wins points verdict in hyped fight with SBW
The fight didn't match the hype but Paul Gallen has earned boxing bragging rights over his old rugby league rival Sonny Bill Williams, winning a contentious split points decision in their much-vaunted Sydney clash. Two judges scored it 77-74 and 76-75 in favour of Gallen while a third had New Zealander Williams winning 77-74 in Wednesday's relatively tame affair at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena. After all the spite and verbal barbs landed over the previous decade, the fight simply didn't hit the heights as both men laboured, working to their traditional strengths. Former Australian and Origin Gallen (15-3-1, 8 KOs) attempted to put pressure on from the start, while Williams, who is 12 centimetres taller, utilised his jab and movement. The 39-year-old dual rugby code international Williams tried to thwart Gallen's charges by holding and clinching, and was deducted a point by referee Les Fear In the seventh round. Williams wasn't interviewed in the ring after the fight and declined to attend the post-fight media conference. "I definitely lost one round, I think the second round and there was one other pretty close one and he got a point taken off, so how the hell is he winning (on one judge's card)?" Gallen said. "I got the win. That's all that matters and it will be there forever. "I'm 44 years old in less than a month's time. "Sonny just came upon to me and said he wants to have a coffee man-to-man and I'm on for that. "I've finished my fights, I'm getting with my life. "I'm not going to gloat, it's been a long time coming. I got the job done and that's all that matters," added Gallen, while also revealing he had come down with COVID two weeks before the fight. On the undercard, world-ranked Victorian Kris Terzievski moved closer to a bridgerweight world title shot by retaining his two regional titles with a sixth-round stoppage of Gold Coast-based New Zealander Troy Pilcher. Terzievski (14-1-2, 11 KOs) put Pilcher (10-2-1, 8 KOs) down with a body shot In the fifth and referee Fear stopped the fight after two more knockdowns in the sixth. Earlier, two sons of famous fathers each had a quick win on the undercard. With his father and former world champion Antony Mundine in his corner, 25-year-old super middleweight Rahim Mundine (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Fijian opponent Joe Vatusaqata (1-5-1, 1 KO) in the second round. Heavyweight Alex Leapai Jr, improved to 5-0-1 (4 KOs), with a first round knock out of Herve Silu Mata 3-4 (2 KOs) Leapai's father, also named Alex, unsuccessfully challenged former IBF, IBO and WBO heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. Another winner on the undercard was New Zealander David Nyika, who bounced back from his loss to IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia with a fifth-round stoppage of fellow Kiwi Nik Charalampous. The fight didn't match the hype but Paul Gallen has earned boxing bragging rights over his old rugby league rival Sonny Bill Williams, winning a contentious split points decision in their much-vaunted Sydney clash. Two judges scored it 77-74 and 76-75 in favour of Gallen while a third had New Zealander Williams winning 77-74 in Wednesday's relatively tame affair at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena. After all the spite and verbal barbs landed over the previous decade, the fight simply didn't hit the heights as both men laboured, working to their traditional strengths. Former Australian and Origin Gallen (15-3-1, 8 KOs) attempted to put pressure on from the start, while Williams, who is 12 centimetres taller, utilised his jab and movement. The 39-year-old dual rugby code international Williams tried to thwart Gallen's charges by holding and clinching, and was deducted a point by referee Les Fear In the seventh round. Williams wasn't interviewed in the ring after the fight and declined to attend the post-fight media conference. "I definitely lost one round, I think the second round and there was one other pretty close one and he got a point taken off, so how the hell is he winning (on one judge's card)?" Gallen said. "I got the win. That's all that matters and it will be there forever. "I'm 44 years old in less than a month's time. "Sonny just came upon to me and said he wants to have a coffee man-to-man and I'm on for that. "I've finished my fights, I'm getting with my life. "I'm not going to gloat, it's been a long time coming. I got the job done and that's all that matters," added Gallen, while also revealing he had come down with COVID two weeks before the fight. On the undercard, world-ranked Victorian Kris Terzievski moved closer to a bridgerweight world title shot by retaining his two regional titles with a sixth-round stoppage of Gold Coast-based New Zealander Troy Pilcher. Terzievski (14-1-2, 11 KOs) put Pilcher (10-2-1, 8 KOs) down with a body shot In the fifth and referee Fear stopped the fight after two more knockdowns in the sixth. Earlier, two sons of famous fathers each had a quick win on the undercard. With his father and former world champion Antony Mundine in his corner, 25-year-old super middleweight Rahim Mundine (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Fijian opponent Joe Vatusaqata (1-5-1, 1 KO) in the second round. Heavyweight Alex Leapai Jr, improved to 5-0-1 (4 KOs), with a first round knock out of Herve Silu Mata 3-4 (2 KOs) Leapai's father, also named Alex, unsuccessfully challenged former IBF, IBO and WBO heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. Another winner on the undercard was New Zealander David Nyika, who bounced back from his loss to IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia with a fifth-round stoppage of fellow Kiwi Nik Charalampous. The fight didn't match the hype but Paul Gallen has earned boxing bragging rights over his old rugby league rival Sonny Bill Williams, winning a contentious split points decision in their much-vaunted Sydney clash. Two judges scored it 77-74 and 76-75 in favour of Gallen while a third had New Zealander Williams winning 77-74 in Wednesday's relatively tame affair at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena. After all the spite and verbal barbs landed over the previous decade, the fight simply didn't hit the heights as both men laboured, working to their traditional strengths. Former Australian and Origin Gallen (15-3-1, 8 KOs) attempted to put pressure on from the start, while Williams, who is 12 centimetres taller, utilised his jab and movement. The 39-year-old dual rugby code international Williams tried to thwart Gallen's charges by holding and clinching, and was deducted a point by referee Les Fear In the seventh round. Williams wasn't interviewed in the ring after the fight and declined to attend the post-fight media conference. "I definitely lost one round, I think the second round and there was one other pretty close one and he got a point taken off, so how the hell is he winning (on one judge's card)?" Gallen said. "I got the win. That's all that matters and it will be there forever. "I'm 44 years old in less than a month's time. "Sonny just came upon to me and said he wants to have a coffee man-to-man and I'm on for that. "I've finished my fights, I'm getting with my life. "I'm not going to gloat, it's been a long time coming. I got the job done and that's all that matters," added Gallen, while also revealing he had come down with COVID two weeks before the fight. On the undercard, world-ranked Victorian Kris Terzievski moved closer to a bridgerweight world title shot by retaining his two regional titles with a sixth-round stoppage of Gold Coast-based New Zealander Troy Pilcher. Terzievski (14-1-2, 11 KOs) put Pilcher (10-2-1, 8 KOs) down with a body shot In the fifth and referee Fear stopped the fight after two more knockdowns in the sixth. Earlier, two sons of famous fathers each had a quick win on the undercard. With his father and former world champion Antony Mundine in his corner, 25-year-old super middleweight Rahim Mundine (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Fijian opponent Joe Vatusaqata (1-5-1, 1 KO) in the second round. Heavyweight Alex Leapai Jr, improved to 5-0-1 (4 KOs), with a first round knock out of Herve Silu Mata 3-4 (2 KOs) Leapai's father, also named Alex, unsuccessfully challenged former IBF, IBO and WBO heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. Another winner on the undercard was New Zealander David Nyika, who bounced back from his loss to IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia with a fifth-round stoppage of fellow Kiwi Nik Charalampous.
Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Perth Now
Gallen wins points verdict in hyped fight with SBW
The fight didn't match the hype but Paul Gallen has earned boxing bragging rights over his old rugby league rival Sonny Bill Williams, winning a contentious split points decision in their much-vaunted Sydney clash. Two judges scored it 77-74 and 76-75 in favour of Gallen while a third had New Zealander Williams winning 77-74 in Wednesday's relatively tame affair at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena. After all the spite and verbal barbs landed over the previous decade, the fight simply didn't hit the heights as both men laboured, working to their traditional strengths. Former Australian and Origin Gallen (15-3-1, 8 KOs) attempted to put pressure on from the start, while Williams, who is 12 centimetres taller, utilised his jab and movement. The 39-year-old dual rugby code international Williams tried to thwart Gallen's charges by holding and clinching, and was deducted a point by referee Les Fear In the seventh round. Williams wasn't interviewed in the ring after the fight and declined to attend the post-fight media conference. "I definitely lost one round, I think the second round and there was one other pretty close one and he got a point taken off, so how the hell is he winning (on one judge's card)?" Gallen said. "I got the win. That's all that matters and it will be there forever. "I'm 44 years old in less than a month's time. "Sonny just came upon to me and said he wants to have a coffee man-to-man and I'm on for that. "I've finished my fights, I'm getting with my life. "I'm not going to gloat, it's been a long time coming. I got the job done and that's all that matters," added Gallen, while also revealing he had come down with COVID two weeks before the fight. On the undercard, world-ranked Victorian Kris Terzievski moved closer to a bridgerweight world title shot by retaining his two regional titles with a sixth-round stoppage of Gold Coast-based New Zealander Troy Pilcher. Terzievski (14-1-2, 11 KOs) put Pilcher (10-2-1, 8 KOs) down with a body shot In the fifth and referee Fear stopped the fight after two more knockdowns in the sixth. Earlier, two sons of famous fathers each had a quick win on the undercard. With his father and former world champion Antony Mundine in his corner, 25-year-old super middleweight Rahim Mundine (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Fijian opponent Joe Vatusaqata (1-5-1, 1 KO) in the second round. Heavyweight Alex Leapai Jr, improved to 5-0-1 (4 KOs), with a first round knock out of Herve Silu Mata 3-4 (2 KOs) Leapai's father, also named Alex, unsuccessfully challenged former IBF, IBO and WBO heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. Another winner on the undercard was New Zealander David Nyika, who bounced back from his loss to IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia with a fifth-round stoppage of fellow Kiwi Nik Charalampous.
