![\"NASCAR](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SVG-Ambrose.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tShane van Gisbergen and Marcos Ambrose, pictured in 2022. Image: Supplied <\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tShane van Gisbergen and Marcos Ambrose, pictured in 2022. Image: Supplied <\/p>\n
Van Gisbergen has been showered with praise after once again putting on a masterful display at the Watkins Glen road course on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The triple Supercars champion scored victory after pit strategy required him to overcome a near 30 second deficit in the last 25 laps.<\/p>\n
A seventh road course win \u2013 achieved in the space of three years \u2013 has him equal third all-time, behind only Jeff Gordon (nine) and Tony Stewart (eight).<\/p>\n
Speaking on NASCAR\u2019s Inside the Race, Petty acknowledged SVG\u2019s as \u201cthe class of the field at this point in time\u201d but pushed back at suggestions the Kiwi is the best ever.<\/p>\n
Petty recalled witnessing phenomenal road course performances by Dan Gurney, Tim Richmond and Gordon, while also making special mention of Australian Marcos Ambrose.<\/p>\n
Ambrose\u2019s nine-year NASCAR Cup Series career included two Cup Series wins at Watkins Glen achieved with Petty\u2019s father\u2019s team, Richard Petty Motorsports.<\/p>\n
POLL: Is van Gisbergen the greatest ever NASCAR road racer?<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI think Marcos Ambrose was just as good as SVG. I will say that,\u201d Petty declared.<\/p>\n \u201cI think if we look at the top tier cars, Marcos was in a car that was here [a lower level], and Shane\u2019s in a car that at least fights and can win races. Totally different situation.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Marcos had been in the same type car, we would be talking about him, and Shane would be Marcos Ambrose point two. He would be the second coming of him.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think Marcos gets enough credit for how he made other drivers step up and get better.\u201d<\/p>\n While Ambrose\u2019 win record is already far shy of SVG\u2019s, Petty noted the Tasmanian\u2019s time in NASCAR pre-dated the control specification Next Gen era.<\/p>\n The Next Gen cars are also closer in spec to the Gen3 Supercars than the previous Cup machinery was to the Project Blueprint V8s Ambrose raced.<\/p>\n \u201cMarcos came over here\u2026 he got in an antique and he had to race against these guys,\u201d continued Petty.<\/p>\n \u201cHe got in a car that was designed off a \u201965 Ford station wagon. He had to relearn how to race.<\/p>\n \u201cShane came over and got out of one Supercar and got in another Supercar and just picked up right where he left off.<\/p>\n \u201cHe did it on the streets of Chicago in the rain (winning on debut in 2023).<\/p>\n \u201cWe didn\u2019t know how to race in the rain. We sat in the back of the trucks and told lies and played cards when it rained at a Cup track!<\/p>\n \u201cSo it is all timing. It\u2019s being right place, right time.\u201d<\/p>\n Van Gisbergen\u2019s abilities to manage tyre life, carry speed across the circuit\u2019s tricky \u2018bus stop\u2019 complex and negotiate traffic were all on show on Sunday.<\/p>\n Remarkably, his success has come at a time when drivers have access to data from each other\u2019s cars thanks to NASCAR\u2019s SMT system.<\/p>\n While that allows rivals to see exactly what SVG is doing in the car, applying it to their own is proving another matter.<\/p>\n That\u2019s largely because van Gisbergen right-foot brakes, allowing him to use the clutch on downshifts to control the rear wheels.<\/p>\n Race commentators mentioned on Sunday that three-time Cup champion Joey Logano was the latest to attempt right foot braking in practice before switching back for the race.<\/p>\n \u201cListen, if you hadn\u2019t been heeling and toe-ing since day one, you\u2019re not gonna heel and toe at this point in time in your career and catch up to Shane van Gisbergen,\u201d said Petty.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re just not, it\u2019s just not gonna happen.\u201d<\/p>\n Petty said it is up to the younger generation of drivers, such as Connor Zilisch and Ty Gibbs, to adapt and rise to van Gisbergen\u2019s level.<\/p>\n Get the latest NASCAR news, stats, and US racing coverage at Speedcafe US<\/a><\/p>\n