Van Gisbergen returns to Chicago ready to defend NASCAR street race title

*A YouTube video link to the story can be found at the bottom of this article.

CHICAGO — With NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race just a few weeks away, the defending champ was back in town Thursday.

Shane Van Gisbergen, a New Zealand native, was in Bolingbrook, looking forward to defending his title after winning on the Xfinity Series circuit over the last two weeks.

“I know we’re going to be good,” Van Gisbergen said. “But, I have to do everything I can — Prepare as good as I can, study last year’s race, see what we could have done better and try to keep improving, but I think there’s going to be some stiff competition this year.”

A year ago, Shane Van Gisbergen navigated the Grant Park course to victory in his very first NASCAR race, a feat that hadn’t been accomplished in 60 years.

The last NASCAR driver to do such a thing was Johnny Rutherford at the 1963 Daytona 500.

NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race is set to be renewed on July 7, with the Sprint Cup series race scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRpSWZBiF5c

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.