“I still feel like I’m a long way from home,” said Shane van Gisbergen, who made his NASCAR debut in 2023. Hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, the 35-year-old took the Cup Series by storm in his very first race, winning the Grant Park 2020 in Chicago. It has been a mercurial rise for the three-time Supercars Champion since then, as he went on to compete in the Xfinity Series, before finding a seat at the highest level with Trackhouse Racing.

Despite his many triumphs in the stock car racing series, the driver is still getting used to life away from home. However, Shane van Gisbergen has built a good support system around him, which includes former Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick.

SVG recalls his struggles when he moved to the United States

Shane van Gisbergen is enjoying life in the NASCAR world. Despite being away from his natural habitat, the Kiwi is relishing the on-track battles, even describing the race in Bristol as the “best race I’ve ever had.” Known as somewhat of a journeyman, SVG has been there and done that across various motorsports disciplines throughout his illustrious career and is enjoying living on the edge in the stock car racing series. It’s a fitting adventure for a racer who is still finding his place away from home.

Represented by Kevin Harvick Inc., Shane van Gisbergen was asked by Matt Weaver if Justin Marks introduced him to the 2014 Cup Series winner. In response, the veteran racer said, “Yeah, I struggled when I first came here, when it came to getting a manager and an attorney.” In the absence of his family, particularly his dad who handled such matters, SVG was forced to seek outside help. Giving credit where it’s due, the driver went on to say, “I don’t know anything so yeah, Kevin and Josh (Jones, KHI vice president) were a great help when I needed to get everything set up.”

Despite building a reputation as a road-course ace, Shane van Gisbergen hasn’t made many friends in the NASCAR world. The Trackhouse Racing star revealed, “I still find myself talking to Kevin (Harvick, agent) and Marcos (Ambrose, former Cup driver and Australian Supercars export). They’ve been like my main people to rely on for coaching stuff.” Even though the 35-year-old has a house in the United States, the country doesn’t feel like home just yet. The weather and driving on the ‘opposite side’ of the road will take time to get used to, but SVG is getting there.

With the Daytona 500 on the horizon, Van Gisbergen is on the verge of his biggest adventure yet. After making 12 appearances for Kaulig Racing last year, the racer will be making his full-time Cup Series debut in the upcoming campaign, and the expectations couldn’t be higher. Despite his limited experience, the Kiwi secured three wins in his rookie Xfinity Series season, going on to finish 12th in the drivers standing. Competing at the highest level will be another challenge for SVG, one that he hopes to live up to in the year ahead.

Shane van Gisbergen reveals his biggest NASCAR weakness

Shane van Gisbergen is quite an adventurer. The racer has experienced it all in the motorsports world, having competed across various disciplines throughout his career. From the Supercars Championship to 24 Hours at Daytona and the World Rally Championships, the Auckland native has developed his racing prowess and versatility after years of hard work. While his specialty lies on road courses, the 35-year-old is still coming to terms with a specific track layout, despite showing significant improvement last year.

In a candid interview, Van Gisbergen said, “The 1.5-mile (tracks) are probably my biggest weakness, just because of the speed, how the air works, and how the cars move around. Like, if someone gets to your right side in the Xfinity car, it gets you loose and I never felt anything like that in racing before. The Cup car feels more normal. It’s not as sensitive to front and rear downforce loss. That’s been helpful.”

As things stand, six venues on the Cup Series calendar are intermediate oval tracks, which will prove to be a learning experience for Shane van Gisbergen. While his strength lies in competing on road courses, SVG finished third at Atlanta Motor Speedway last year and fourth at ‘The Brickyard,’ showcasing just how much he has improved in the stock car racing series. Even though he’s expected to make the playoffs, the veteran racer will aim to utilize the upcoming season as a learning experience for long-term success.