Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave his opinion on the thrilling fight for the win between Shane van Gisbergen and Chase Briscoe in last Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Sonoma.
While Briscoe gave it his best shot in the waning laps, SVG fended off the Joe Gibbs Racing driver en route to his second win of 2026 and eighth career Cup Series win, which have all come on road courses.
Despite criticism from fans, Earnhardt Jr. enjoyed watching the battle for the win unfold from the booth.
Earnhardt Jr. says SVG, Briscoe battle was ‘a real thing’
As the laps wound down in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 last Sunday, Briscoe was inching up on SVG for the race lead.
Ultimately, the driver of the No. 19 would fail to overtake the driver of the No. 97 for the win, but the chase in the closing laps gave fans quite the show.
For some that might have doubted the authenticity of the lead battle, Earnhardt Jr. made his feelings known on a recent episode of “The Dale Jr. Download.”
“SVG running out of race car, running out of tire was real. The 19 being faster, running him down, that was a real thing,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
Earnhardt Jr. felt the need to make that known because he said many fans on social media were critical of the TNT broadcast, saying they felt he and his fellow broadcasters “hyped” up the battle when it was not as close as they made it out to be.
From his perspective in the booth and from SVG’s post-race comments, Earnhardt Jr. resented the idea that anything was blown out of proportion.
“I mean I’m seeing (expletive) on my social media. We’re driving to the airport after the race after we get done with post-race and they’re going, ‘Man, y’all hyped that (expletive) up. It wasn’t that (expletive) big of a deal. I’m like, ‘Nah, he was really catching him. SVG really was (expletive) out of racecar. He even says so,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
Had Briscoe reached the back bumper of SVG, Earnhardt Jr. expected it to get physical.
“He’s (Briscoe) absolutely going to put the bumper to him (SVG) in turn 11. … I don’t think he spins him out, but I think he knocks him up the track a little bit, or at least makes a shot,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
Earnhardt Jr. said Briscoe had to be ‘perfect’ to pass SVG
At Sonoma, Earnhardt Jr. said two corners are key.
Turns 7 and 11, Earnhardt Jr. said, are the most prominent passing zones on the California road course. As the fight for the lead tightened up between Briscoe and SVG, it was intriguing for Earnhardt Jr. to watch.
Yet, the former driver of the No. 88 knew if Briscoe wanted to get past the road course ace, he could not make any mistakes.
“Where Briscoe was good was the braking zones of (turns) 7 and 11. SVG was just a little bit everywhere else. So, SVG would gain a half a car length back and then Briscoe would get a car length in the next braking zone. … It was amazing because Briscoe had to be perfect. I was so entertained,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
SVG’s win at Sonoma was another example of his NASCAR road course dominance. The New Zealand native has won seven of the last nine road course races, including the last two Sonoma races.
While Briscoe threatened in the late laps, it was still SVG’s road course prowess that led him to victory.
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