The explosive entry of Shane van Gisbergen into the NASCAR Cup Series, winning a race in Chicago on his debut, immediately caught the attention of racing aficionados. His win sparked a keen interest among fans eager to witness his capabilities extend from road and street courses to the more challenging ovals.
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Discussing Shane van Gisbergen’s progress on oval tracks, renowned NASCAR commentator Leigh Diffey expressed his views in a YouTube video with Speedcafe TV.
“I don’t think enough people here give Shane enough credit for what he’s done on ovals yet. So whenever we go to a Road or Street course oh it’s SVG SVG SVG… But to me, that’s an easy headline. Let’s dig deeper and see what he’s done on ovals and not all of his oval results reflect actually how well he raced,” said Diffey.
While road racing is van Gisbergen’s stronghold, his transition to ovals has been marked by gradual improvement. In the Cup Series, his oval track performance peaked with a P15 finish at Talladega Superspeedway. Although initially struggling to crack the top 20 in other oval races, his perseverance was evident in a recent race at Martinsville.
Starting from P29 place at the Virginia racetrack, the Kiwi driver navigated his way to a respectable P12 place finish, proving his growing competence on oval tracks.
Despite his strides, van Gisbergen himself acknowledges the steep learning curve still ahead.
“Everything is different, especially on the oval side. That has been a huge learning experience,” he said in an interview with Autosport.
When reflecting on his areas for improvement, SVG pinpointed, “My weakness, I would say, is the intermediates – the one-and-a-half mile tracks. I’ve had some good results, but I’ve had some pretty average ones as well.”
While the NASCAR Next Gen cars bear a resemblance to the Supercars that Gisbergen is accustomed to, the transition is not without its challenges. Skeptics might question his preparedness for the rigorous demands of a full-time Cup schedule.
Is SVG primed to compete with NASCAR’s big boys on oval tracks?
In his intermittent incursions into Cup racing, Gisbergen secured top-five finishes at both Watkins Glen International and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course. His stint in this year’s Chicago Street race, however, ended prematurely due to a crash, landing him in 40th place.
Despite these setbacks, SVG is confident in his abilities on oval tracks and grateful for the foundational experience gained in the Xfinity Series.
van Gisbergen called his first full season in the Xfinity Series as a ‘year of acclimatization’ to both American culture and the unique demands of NASCAR racing.
He made a strong showing in the Xfinity playoffs, capturing wins at road courses such as Portland Speedway, Sonoma Raceway, and Chicago, and even snagged a top-five finish at an oval race in Atlanta.
As SVG gears up to take on the established giants of the Cup series on the oval tracks, it is going to be an interesting year for the NASCAR fans.
