Unlike most other motorsports, practice sessions in NASCAR last only a short time. Typically, it is a 20-minute session, and on occasion, that can be extended to 50. The NASCAR racers are used to this system, but drivers from outside can struggle to get up to speed in just 20 minutes. Shane van Gisbergen is one such driver who recently expressed his desire to have longer practice sessions under a social media post by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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Junior shared a story about how the 1981 race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway saw 12 hours of practice before the main event. An open practice session kicked the week’s proceedings off on the Sunday before the race. The sessions also took place every day from Tuesday to Saturday along with a unique qualifying format spread over four days. Something like this is unthinkable today, but SVG wants a similar format to make a comeback.
Can we bring that back please
— Shane van Gisbergen (@shanevg97) September 24, 2024
It’s understandable where he is coming from. The three-time Supercars champion is considered to be one of the most talented racers in the world today. However, he has yet to see any success on Oval tracks. Road-course racing has not been an issue since that is SVG’s comfort zone. But with a proper practice session like in other disciplines of motorsports, he could have improved a lot on those tracks.
His best result on an Oval track in the Xfinity Series this season came at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he finished P4. He did a good job in Phoenix as well to finish P6. However, apart from these two races, SVG has not been able to finish inside the top 10 in any Oval race. That statistic is a bit concerning for someone slated to race in the Cup Series next season. Trackhouse Racing is betting a lot on the Kiwi’s road course racing abilities and with good reason.
SVG won in Chicago, Portland, and Sonoma in the Xfinity Series this season and has run well in the Cup Series road course races as well. He can almost guarantee Trackhouse a place in the playoffs every season. But with comparatively less experience on Ovals, winning the championship would be a tall order. That’s why longer practice sessions are so important for certain drivers. Even the ones who have been in the sport for several years have called for longer practice sessions before races.
