Shane van Gisbergen started his rookie season in NASCAR with a sterling performance, securing a top-10 finish (P9) in his debut at the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, starting from P10. He was not only pleased with his performance but was also captivated by the vibrant atmosphere of the track.
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During his post-race interview, the Trackhouse Racing driver also shared a memorable moment from the crowd which was quite close compared to other tracks. He said,
“I was behind Christopher Bell and there was some dude with no shirt on with a #20 written on him. He must have been freezing. But every lap he was cheering… That was pretty funny but you can see it. It’s kind of like Western springs I spent the summer racing. The crowd feels like they are on top of you. They are really into it. It was awesome.”
He continued to reflect on his experience, noting, “Oh those driver intros were epic. Just atmosphere and pretty interesting. Pretty intimate with the crowd like there’s some interesting specimens in the crowd I’d say. But they are some awesome people. Everyone was really friendly. What a cool place.”
Shane van Gisbergen enjoyed his trip to Bowman Gray and the fan base here: pic.twitter.com/e3dHRYdIBO
— Kelly Crandall (@KellyCrandall) February 3, 2025
Gisbergen took to his official X handle to express his enthusiasm about the race, sharing that he felt exceptionally comfortable in Trackhouse Racing’s #88 car right from the start, pushing hard to secure a ninth-place finish. He’s now eagerly anticipating the season opener at Daytona.
9th at the Clash, that was an awesome race! Felt comfortable in the @trackhouseracing #88 from the start and just pushed on with it 😀 Ready to get the season started in Daytona! pic.twitter.com/hcjyQydStD
— Shane van Gisbergen (@shanevg97) February 3, 2025
SVG elaborated on the differences between his current Cup car and the Xfinity car he piloted last year, in which he claimed three victories during his rookie season. He noted that the Cup car’s rear end is more stable, without the “flapping around in the breeze” that he experienced with the Xfinity car.
He likened the NASCAR Cup Next Gen cars to supercars, specifically citing the more stable rear-end wishbones and the differential’s rigidity.
Chase Elliott expressed gratitude to the crowd at Bowman Gray Stadium
Although it was predominantly Elliott’s skill that helped him win the race at Bowman Gray Stadium, the #9 Hendrick Motorsports driver acknowledged the electric atmosphere created by the fans. In his post-race interview, Elliott remarked,
“You all created a truly vibrant environment for us. Racing in such a unique stadium is not something we’re accustomed to, so it was genuinely thrilling. I’m grateful to all of you for making this moment memorable for both me and my team… You truly deserved it. I hope the race was as exciting for you as it was for us.”
He continued, “This environment is special and this is a place that has had a deep history in NASCAR. I think they deserve this event truthfully. And I hope we didn’t disappoint. It was fun for me at least and we’ll hopefully come back here one day.”
With the Daytona race just two weeks away, it will be intriguing to see if the enthusiasm from the fans at Bowman Gray carries over, amplifying the support for their favorite drivers even further.
