Despite His Fear, Shane van Gisbergen’s Extra Practice Could Provide Him an Edge at the Daytona 500

Shane van Gisbergen might have made a stunning debut in NASCAR but his introduction to full-time racing in stock cars will be one of the toughest tests he has ever faced. The three-time Supercars champion will have to run not one, not two, but three full races in the Daytona 500 weekend. SVG had earlier expressed his doubts about racing on superspeedways but could his hectic schedule turn out to be beneficial for his debut in The Great American Race?

The Kiwi is not a stranger to NASCAR. Back in 2023, the 34-year-old made his debut in the Chicago Street Race and smoked the field to win the event. Since it was essentially a road course, SVG felt right at home. Racing ovals, especially superspeedways, will be a completely different challenge even for a man of his talents.

Shane van Gisbergen has expressed doubts about superspeedway racing

Earlier, the Kiwi expressed his qualms about racing on superspeedways. According to the 34-year-old, it was like watching a high-speed chess match and also the lottery at the same time. In all probability, that is perhaps one of the best ways to describe superspeedway racing for someone who has never experienced what it is like.

“It being our first race, I don’t really even know how to approach it or what to expect,” SVG said as per the official NASCAR website. “We get a little bit of practice so I can get a feel for the car and the cars around me, but it’s so far removed from everything I’ve ever done. Superspeedways are what I’m most anxious about, I guess, or unsure about what’s going to happen or how the car drives.”

However, one thing that the Kiwi will have that others won’t, is race practice. The Supercars champion is set to take part in the ARCA Menards Series race at the Daytona International Speedway on Saturday afternoon and in the Xfinity Series race in the evening. By the time he drives in the Daytona 500, SVG would have learned a lot about the track and how the cars drive on it.

The 34-year-old had revealed earlier that he had been studying superspeedway racing quite a lot ahead of the start of his first full-time Xfinity Series season. One of the drivers he has been keeping his eye on is Denny Hamlin.

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The Joe Gibbs Racing star might not have won the Cup Series so far in his career but he has a good record when it comes to superspeedways, especially the Daytona 500. Hamlin has won the prestigious event three times in his career and will look to make it four come February. SVG, however, was more interested in the 43-year-old’s performance at the Talladega Superspeedway.

“Normally, (I’d) watch (superspeedway races) and it just looked like cars driving around flat-out, but nowadays, I’m trying to study it as much as I can. And you know, there was a Denny Hamlin onboard from last year’s Talladega race where he had to come back through the field. I’ve been studying that, just kind of seeing how it all works,” the 34-year-old said as per NASCAR.

It will be a tough introduction to full-time racing in NASCAR but Shane van Gisbergen is a three-time Supercars champion for a reason. He has the knowledge and the skills to navigate through difficult situations. There will be a lot of hype around the Kiwi when the season starts and it will be interesting to see if he can live up to it.

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