Despite Being Plagued With Struggles, Shane van Gisbergen Bags a Respectable Finish at Darlington

When SvG came into NASCAR, he was already a racing star with three championship wins at Supercars. But we all know racing in the ovals is an entirely new ball game. He is facing challenges, but it’s safe to say after the Darlington race, he kangaroo hopped his way quite a bit!

Shane van Gisbergen had lots to learn at the Lady in Black

Shane van Gisbergen was handed down the perfect recipe for disaster this week–the massive thunderstorms. The inclement weather washed out the practice and qualifying sessions, shattering all hopes. However, weather turbulence couldn’t get the best of this stock car rookie. He fought his way and finished in 15th position. He completed all the laps and even brought the car home in one piece. 

But that’s not to say that he didn’t struggle on the track. 

He started at P17, and at first, he dropped a bit in the running order. Pre-race, he did mention how he takes time to get accustomed to the track, and this is exactly what happened. He said, “Everyone just goes flat out. I needed a bit of time there to just learn, and I dropped back a fair way, but I kept it straight. Then when I was comfortable, I kept going faster and faster.”

But the most challenging bit was for him to learn how to rip the outside wall. Even experienced racers like Richard Petty find the track challenging, so for someone like van Gisbergen, it must have been tough. He said, “I was a little bit tight to run the wall, and also to get the confidence up there, it’s a hard feeling sliding up to the wall, trusting that this little imaginary air pocket’s going to save you. It’s a crazy feeling, but I got better and better and had fun. I just sucked at the restarts.” 

Racing at Darlington Raceway is no easy feat with its egg-shaped track, with one side flat, wide, and sweeping, the other being comparatively tight and narrow. The track is called “Too Tough to Tame” for a reason. But SvG showed a lot of promise, even with the many struggles.

In a pre-race interview, he was candid enough and talked about the difficulties he has been facing at NASCAR. But what you might not know is that this rookie might be far away from home, but he has a Godfather behind him. Shane van Gisbergen does indeed have a Godfather—Marcus Ambrose. In the pre-race interview, he went ahead to express how Ambrose is helping him navigate his journey on the US ovals. They even share common strings apart from being from the down under. Both are former Supercars champions and are two of the six drivers not from the USA to win in a NASCAR Cup race.

SvG gets candid with the media about his struggles

Trending

Tony Stewart’s Wife Leah Pruett Pens a Heartfelt Message for Husband After His Unwavering Support for His Family

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Offers a Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity to His Loyal Fanbase as He Gears Up for His Return With Budweiser

JRM Prodigy & Kelley Earnhardt’s Son Earn Major Backing as Dale Jr.’s Loyal Partners Announce 2025 Return

“It Drives Like a Forklift” – Shane van Gisbergen Controversially Splits the Difference Between NASCAR’s Proud Next Gen and Xfinity Cars

Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin’s Gamble on Tony Stewart’s Money Loaded Star Could Not Be Worth the Financial Hassle

 SvG also was candid about his problems being a rookie in NASCAR. He confessed that he struggles with the skew of the cars and it’s taking him a while to get used to it. Also, he would like to get quick from the get-go, as he feels that he slacks at the start of the race. This is what we saw in the Darlington race, too. 

However, while he is having a learning curve at the moment, it is not to deny that his performances have been stellar, and this Darlington performance sure is great. Right now, he says his only goal is reaching the cup races in 2025 and he‌ is putting in the effort. He said, “The ovals, that’s the learning curve for me, so that’s definitely what I’m putting the most effort into. To get better at the ovals, that’s the goal for me.”

What did you think of the race? Do you think with this pace, he can reach his goals? Let us know in the comments below.