Shane van Gisbergen has put JR Motorsports in control of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series grid at Sonoma Raceway.
The New Zealander took pole for Saturday’s Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 with a 75.029-second lap, averaging 95.483mph, according to NASCAR. Brent Crews will join him on the front row after falling 0.189 seconds short.
It is a sharp reset after van Gisbergen’s San Diego weekend was compromised by chaos, and it puts the No. 9 Chevrolet exactly where it needs to be on a 1.99-mile circuit where track position still carries serious weight. For more stock-car coverage, visit our NASCAR news hub.
Why Sonoma Now Tilts Towards SVG
Van Gisbergen’s lap was not simply quick; it landed before the second qualifying group could find enough grip or rhythm to dislodge him. Taylor Gray topped that group but could only reach third, ahead of Anthony Alfredo and Parker Retzlaff.
The run also extended van Gisbergen’s Sonoma O’Reilly streak to three poles and, according to Frontstretch, gave Chevrolet its 500th pole in the series.
The other headline is Connor Zilisch starting 30th after a tyre issue damaged his qualifying run. That leaves last year’s Sonoma winner with a recovery drive while van Gisbergen controls the start, the restart lanes and the clean-air advantage.
Corey Day’s practice pace, Justin Allgaier’s points cushion and Austin Hill’s top-10 start still matter. But Sonoma has again rewarded specialist precision, and van Gisbergen has turned Friday speed into the cleanest possible Saturday platform.
