Van Gisbergen has been showered with praise after once again putting on a masterful display at the Watkins Glen road course on Sunday.
The triple Supercars champion scored victory after pit strategy required him to overcome a near 30 second deficit in the last 25 laps.
A seventh road course win – achieved in the space of three years – has him equal third all-time, behind only Jeff Gordon (nine) and Tony Stewart (eight).
Speaking on NASCAR’s Inside the Race, Petty acknowledged SVG’s as “the class of the field at this point in time” but pushed back at suggestions the Kiwi is the best ever.
Petty recalled witnessing phenomenal road course performances by Dan Gurney, Tim Richmond and Gordon, while also making special mention of Australian Marcos Ambrose.
Ambrose’s nine-year NASCAR Cup Series career included two Cup Series wins at Watkins Glen achieved with Petty’s father’s team, Richard Petty Motorsports.
“I think Marcos Ambrose was just as good as SVG. I will say that,” Petty declared.
“I think if we look at the top tier cars, Marcos was in a car that was here [a lower level], and Shane’s in a car that at least fights and can win races. Totally different situation.
“If 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.
“I don’t think Marcos gets enough credit for how he made other drivers step up and get better.”
While Ambrose’ win record is already far shy of SVG’s, Petty noted the Tasmanian’s time in NASCAR pre-dated the control specification Next Gen era.
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.
“Marcos came over here… he got in an antique and he had to race against these guys,” continued Petty.
“He got in a car that was designed off a ’65 Ford station wagon. He had to relearn how to race.
“Shane came over and got out of one Supercar and got in another Supercar and just picked up right where he left off.
“He did it on the streets of Chicago in the rain (winning on debut in 2023).
“We didn’t 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!
“So it is all timing. It’s being right place, right time.”
Van Gisbergen’s abilities to manage tyre life, carry speed across the circuit’s tricky ‘bus stop’ complex and negotiate traffic were all on show on Sunday.
Remarkably, his success has come at a time when drivers have access to data from each other’s cars thanks to NASCAR’s SMT system.
While that allows rivals to see exactly what SVG is doing in the car, applying it to their own is proving another matter.
That’s largely because van Gisbergen right-foot brakes, allowing him to use the clutch on downshifts to control the rear wheels.
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.
“Listen, if you hadn’t been heeling and toe-ing since day one, you’re not gonna heel and toe at this point in time in your career and catch up to Shane van Gisbergen,” said Petty.
“You’re just not, it’s just not gonna happen.”
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’s level.
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