Shane van Gisbergen is ready to deliver an action-packed display in Mexico but remains acutely aware that NASCAR’s calendar leans heavily toward ovals. Despite road course racing on the docket this week, the Kiwi ace is not leaving his oval practice. He is sharpening his short-track chops in the Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
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Piloting a Joe Ryan Racecars entry in the Pro Legends division for Team SSR, SVG was laying the groundwork for oval mastery. However, Mother Nature threw a wrench into those plans, as heavy rain and lightning storms swept across the North Carolina circuit, cutting Round 1 short before the field could take the checkered flag.
Even with the early curtain call, SVG and fellow international standout Scott McLaughlin got their feet wet during Qualifying 1, offering a teaser of the speed still to come. SVG clocked the 11th-fastest time in the 24-car field with a 17.408-second lap, while McLaughlin posted a 17.544-second effort to place 20th.
Though the track fell silent early, the racing is set to roar back to life at 4 PM EST on Wednesday, as officials aim to complete Round 1 before diving straight into Round 2 later that day, if the weather permits.
SVG, ever the showman, teased his return by posting an Instagram story of himself suiting up for his Pro Legends debut, captioned: “SSR Debut Tonight.”
The Trackhouse Racing driver’s best finish on an oval in the 2025 NASCAR Cup campaign came just weeks ago when he bagged a solid 14th-place result in the Coca-Cola 600.
Meanwhile, McLaughlin, an established force in IndyCar, is rolling up his sleeves for a taste of grassroots American racing in Legends cars. Although Bubba Wallace sat out the season opener, he is expected to compete in the majority of the Pro Legends Summer Shootout schedule, fielding his car under the same Joe Ryan Racecars banner.
The Shootout will also give SVG a chance to rub shoulders with Kevin Harvick’s son, Keelan, who is a fellow entrant in the series. While SVG cuts his teeth in the Pro Legends division, he might even cross paths with NASCAR heavyweight Kyle Busch, who is set to compete in the Legends Masters division.
