Shane van Gisbergen did not have high enough hopes when he made it to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Following a 26th-place finish at the Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, he sealed his fate and admitted to his shortcomings.
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Making it to the Round of 16 was as far as the Australian Supercars Champion could go. He spoke to the press in the immediate aftermath of the outing and set a clear goal for his future.
Van Gisbergen said, “I knew it was going to be a long shot today, but I’m still proud of what we’ve achieved this year. It’s been a privilege to be in the playoffs, and everyone knew the first round was going to be difficult. And I just didn’t do a good enough job.
“So, I need to keep getting better at the ovals. The road courses will keep working, but yeah, I need to start improving at this stuff.”
The Trackhouse Racing driver won four races this year, all on road courses. From the beginning of his NASCAR stint, he has struggled to make ends meet on the oval tracks. The awareness that he would struggle to adapt to this discipline is why Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks had him spend a year driving in the Xfinity Series.
Alas, the experience has done little to significantly improve his craft.
Van Gisbergen’s best finish on a track that is not a road course came at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Richmond Raceway, where he finished 14th at both tracks. Thanks to his road course wins, he had entered the playoffs with 22 playoff points. However, 32nd at Darlington, 25th at Gateway, and this latest finish at Bristol have ensured that all of that cushion is now gone.
A bag of mixed emotions
By no means was van Gisbergen’s debut season in the Cup Series a flop. He will be rewarded with the Rookie of the Year award for his incredible efforts this year. All the extreme highs and lows have left him unsure of whether he ought to be happy or sad.
The 36-year-old said, “I’m happy but frustrated. Proud. It’s a privilege to be here, but I’m also pissed at myself. The last few weeks, I just haven’t been good enough.”
Van Gisbergen pointed out that he has been improving on the ovals and took responsibility for the failures over the past few weeks. However, he is not oblivious to the fact that the season is far from over. Crucial races remain on the schedule, and while they may not lead him to a championship, they will play a significant role in building his legacy.
