Top 5 street circuit drivers in NASCAR ft. Kyle Larson

NASCAR recently ventured into street courses, with Chicago hosting the inaugural event in 2023. While road course ringers have found success at this venue, few regulars have managed to translate their road course prowess into speed on street circuits.

Both editions of the Chicago Street race have been affected by weather, making the conditions even trickier for the relatively inexperienced NASCAR drivers. Shane van Gisbergen emerged supreme in the inaugural edition of the race, winning on his debut.

Van Gisbergen was the favorite to repeat his success this season but was unfortunately involved in a wreck. However, the Kiwi driver secured a victory in the Xfinity race earlier in the weekend, after a thrilling battle with Kyle Larson and Ty Gibbs. Alex Bowman emerged victorious in the second edition of the Cup race.

Despite a limited sample size, few drivers have shown they can go toe-to-toe with the best in the world. On that note, let us take a look at five NASCAR drivers who excel in street course racing.

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Top 5 street circuit drivers in NASCAR

#5 Tyler Reddick

The #45 Toyota driver, Tyler Reddick, is considered one of the best road course drivers in NASCAR and has translated the skills to street racing. Reddick narrowly missed out on the victory at Chicago this season, finishing second behind Bowman.

Although Reddick has shown flashes of speed on the street course, he has also shown the tendency to push beyond the limits, affecting his chances of winning the event.

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#4 Ty Gibbs

The #54 Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Ty Gibbs, has been impressive around Chicago, boasting the best average finish among Cup drivers. He recorded a third and ninth-place finish in two editions, leading the same amount of laps as Shane van Gisbergen (18).

Gibbs has displayed race-winning speed on road/street courses and could fetch his maiden Cup race victory on such tracks.

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#3 Christopher Bell

The #20 Joe Gibbs Racing, Christopher Bell, has shown the most potential at Chicago but hasn't yet converted his speed into results. He led the most laps at the event, 51, more than double that of the second-best driver. However, his 18th and 37th place finishes highlight the lack of execution.

For two consecutive years, Bell has dominated the race, but bad luck has prevented him from securing a win.

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#2 Kyle Larson

The 2021 Cup champion, Kyle Larson, engaged in a sensational battle with Shane van Gisbergen in the Xfinity race at Chicago, putting on a thrilling spectacle. Both drivers showcased their finesse and skills as they navigated the 2.2-mile circuit, relentlessly vying for position.

Larson has secured solid results in the Cup races at Chicago, finishing fourth last season, and clinching pole position this year. Despite starting on the pole, he crashed out of the race, ruining his chances of converting it into a victory.

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#1 Shane van Gisbergen

The 3x Supercars champion, Shane van Gisbergen, burst into the NASCAR scene during the inaugural edition of the Chicago Street Race. Winning the event in his NASCAR debut, his performance made waves through the motorsports world.

With 81 victories in Supercars, SVG is in his element on street courses. His arrival has elevated NASCAR drivers' skills, as many continue to emulate the three-time Supercars champion, who remains the undisputed king of street course racing.