--- title: "SVG: ‘Perpetual favorite’ tag disrespects the field" description: "Shane Van Gisbergen pushes back on the ‘perpetual favorite’ label before the Anduril 250, where practice shows a tight field ready to challenge him." url: https://sportopod.com/en-US/cluster/svg-says-perpetual-favourite-tag-disrespects-my-competition-8d5decb0 published: 2026-07-01T15:18:44.314+00:00 updated: 2026-07-01T15:18:44.314+00:00 author: "Kostadin Stamboliev" publisher: "Pineido" site: "Sportopod" language: en topics: ["nascar"] --- # SVG: ‘Perpetual favorite’ tag disrespects the field > Shane Van Gisbergen pushes back on the ‘perpetual favorite’ label before the Anduril 250, where practice shows a tight field ready to challenge him. Shane Van Gisbergen dismissed the ‘perpetual favorite’ tag in NASCAR’s Cup Series, calling it disrespectful to competitors. The Anduril 250 Race the Base at Naval Base Coronado looms large after SVG’s blunt remarks. Practice sessions at the San Diego track delivered tight lap times, with Chase Elliott topping the chart at 44.738 seconds in the final session on Thursday. Tyler Reddick and Kyle Larson rounded out the top three, separated by 0.040 seconds. SVG, who claimed the 2024 Cup Series title in just 22 starts, has faced the ‘favorite’ label repeatedly. He argued the tag diminishes the work of rivals who push themselves to close gaps. “It’s not about me,” he said. “It’s about the whole field raising the bar.” Tyler Reddick, a two-time Cup winner, pushed back on the idea of a clear favorite. “You look at the practice speeds, it’s anyone’s race,” he told reporters. “SVG’s fast, but so is everyone else right now.” The tight practice times reflect a broader shift in the Cup Series. Since SVG’s 2024 title, the gap between the top teams has narrowed significantly. In the first three races of 2025, no single driver has dominated practice or qualifying, and SVG’s average starting position sits at 6.3—down from 4.1 in 2024. This suggests the field is adapting faster than expected to his championship form. Mechanical reliability has also played a role in the balanced field. Teams like Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing have refined their setups for street circuits, where SVG’s Red Bull Racing still holds an edge. Yet even there, the margins are razor-thin. In Thursday’s practice, the gap between Elliott’s No. 9 and SVG’s No. 97 was just 0.089 seconds—a margin that disappears in race conditions. The Anduril 250 marks the first street course of 2025, a discipline where SVG’s versatility shines. His 2024 season included three street-course wins, and his ability to adapt to tight, technical layouts has become a hallmark of his title run. Yet the narrow margins in San Diego suggest rivals are closing the gap not just in raw speed but in racecraft—critical for a street race where clean exits and defensive moves decide races. Historically, street courses have been SVG’s proving ground, but the 2025 field is writing a different narrative. In the 2024 season finale at the Charlotte Roval, SVG won by 0.582 seconds over Kyle Larson. This season, Larson’s average qualifying position is 5.7—up from 8.2 in 2024—while Chase Elliott’s street-course average finish has improved from 12th in 2024 to 4th in his last two street races. The data points to a league where SVG’s advantage is no longer automatic. SVG, Reddick, and Larson all cited tire wear as a key variable for Sunday’s race. Street circuits demand aggressive tire management, and the difference between a clean pit cycle and a costly one can swing a race. With SVG’s Red Bull Racing running a slightly softer tire compound in practice, the stage is set for a tactical battle where strategy could outweigh raw speed. What’s next: The Anduril 250 Race the Base runs Sunday at Naval Base Coronado. With SVG under the microscope and a tight field in practice, the race shapes up as a referendum on whether Cup Series rivals can close the gap to the champion. The tight practice times and narrowing performance gaps suggest the latter is no longer a foregone conclusion. ## Why this matters SVG’s rejection of the ‘perpetual favorite’ label spotlights the psychological pressure of constant expectation in NASCAR’s top tier. It also underscores the competitive balance emerging in the Cup Series, where SVG’s 2024 title hasn’t translated into an insurmountable advantage. The Anduril 250 becomes a proving ground: can rivals translate practice speed into race-day results, or will SVG’s momentum carry him to another win? The tight practice times and narrowing performance gaps suggest the latter is no longer a foregone conclusion. The race also tests the depth of the field on a street circuit, a discipline where SVG has historically thrived but where the margins for error are razor-thin. ## Frequently asked ### What did Shane Van Gisbergen say about being called the Cup Series’ perpetual favorite? SVG called the label disrespectful to his competitors, arguing it undermines the work rivals put in to close performance gaps. ### Where is the Anduril 250 Race the Base being held? The race is held at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, marking a unique street-style circuit on a military base. ### Who led practice for the Anduril 250 ahead of the race? Chase Elliott led the final practice session with a lap of 44.738 seconds, followed by Tyler Reddick and Kyle Larson. ### How many Cup Series races has Shane Van Gisbergen won? SVG claimed his first Cup Series title in 2024, securing the championship in just 22 starts. ### What did Tyler Reddick say about the ‘favorite’ narrative? Reddick told reporters the tight practice speeds mean ‘it’s anyone’s race,’ pushing back on the idea of a clear favorite. ### How has the Cup Series field changed since SVG’s 2024 title? The gap between top teams has narrowed, with no single driver dominating practice or qualifying in the first three races of 2025. SVG’s average starting position has dropped from 4.1 in 2024 to 6.3 in 2025. ## Sources & Citations - [SVG says perpetual favourite tag ‘disrespects my competition’](https://speedcafe.com/nascar-news-2026-cup-series-san-diego-practice-results-shane-van-gisbergen-preview-favourite-odds-comments-reaction-brad-keselowski/) — GNews.io (2026-06-19) --- Cite: SVG: ‘Perpetual favorite’ tag disrespects the field. Sportopod, 2026-07-01. https://sportopod.com/en-US/cluster/svg-says-perpetual-favourite-tag-disrespects-my-competition-8d5decb0