Shane van Gisbergen Achieves Milestone Victory in NASCAR
In a historic moment for NASCAR, Shane van Gisbergen secured his third career victory at the Chicago Street Course in 2025, marking him as the winningest foreign-born driver in NASCAR Cup Series history. Until 2025, there had been no points-paying Cup races outside the United States since 1958, underscoring the rarity of international success in this distinctly American motorsport.
Key Drivers’ Performance
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Shane van Gisbergen (Auckland, New Zealand): 3 Cup wins, 4 Xfinity wins. Van Gisbergen debuted in NASCAR in 2023, winning his first race at the Chicago Street Course. He is poised to participate in the Cup Series playoffs and is a front-runner for Rookie of the Year honors.
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Daniel Suarez (Monterrey, Mexico): 2 Cup wins, 4 Xfinity wins, 1 Truck win. Suarez made history as the first foreign-born driver to win a national-level title in NASCAR when he claimed the 2016 Xfinity Series championship. He holds the unique distinction of winning races on both road courses and ovals.
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Marcos Ambrose (Launceston, Australia): 2 Cup wins, 5 Xfinity wins. Ambrose is particularly notable for his prowess on road courses, achieving all his Cup wins at Watkins Glen International.
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Ron Fellows (Windsor, Canada): 4 Xfinity wins, 2 Truck wins. Fellows excelled on road courses, notably winning three times at Watkins Glen in the Xfinity Series.
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Stewart Friesen (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada): All wins in Truck Series (4). Friesen, a dual citizen, is the most successful foreign-born driver in the Truck Series history.
- Juan Pablo Montoya (Bogotá, Colombia): 2 Cup wins, 1 Xfinity win. Montoya, a versatile racer, is a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and notable for his near misses in various prestigious NASCAR races.
In total, foreign-born drivers have won 41 national-level races across NASCAR’s three major series. Recent trends indicate a growing international presence in NASCAR, with five of the 11 historically recognized Cup wins by foreign-born drivers occurring in the last five years. This surge may reflect NASCAR’s gradual global expansion and a diversification of its driver talent pool.
Race Dynamics and Future Implications
As NASCAR continues to embrace a more international identity, the performance of drivers like van Gisbergen and Suarez could inspire further participation from diverse backgrounds. The implications of their successes resonate beyond statistics, positioning NASCAR as a more inclusive and globally recognized motorsport.
As athletes like Shane van Gisbergen and Daniel Suarez make their marks, the landscape of NASCAR is evolving, signaling a promising future for both the series and its international entrants.
