“You have to expect the unexpected.” Shane van Gisbergen understood the assignment when he shifted to NASCAR from Supercars. The New Zealand native was accustomed to 7,500 RPM engines and cars that were quicker on turns back home. Now, SVG is slowly adapting to taking left turns around oval circuits for a long time at a stretch. Although he has dazzled his fans multiple times already, the Kiwi driver admits to a jittery feeling.

His first star moment was in July 2023, when he became the first driver in over 5 decades to win a Cup Series race on his debut. After the Chicago Street Race glory, Shane van Gisbergen kept adding to his resume in his full-time Xfinity stint. But even a fast learner can face hiccups – although SVG has a powerful drive to help him.

Shane van Gisbergen reveals the bumpy parts

Although the three-time Supercars champion was an instant hit in NASCAR, all was not hunky dory. Shane van Gisbergen’s strength was in road courses, and he won three Xfinity races in Portland, Sonoma, and Chicago this year. But on the flip side, he has major work to do in short tracks – he owns zero top-tens and a 34th-place finish in Iowa this year. Besides getting accustomed to new tracks like ovals or drafting venues, SVG also dealt with a crew chief shuffle. On his Cup schedule, he worked with Travis Mack. But during his Xfinity season, he had a change, from Bruce Schlicker to Kevin Walter.

So right before his full-time Cup Series stint kicks off with Trackhouse Racing in 2025, SVG thought it best to get honest. In an interview with Aussie sponsor Quad Lock, Shane van Gisbergen candidly put forward his struggles in racing. “It’s not easy, being a race car driver. It’s really fun, it’s a pretty special job, but it can be tough too, you know. There are periods, you see it a lot in drivers… the wave of how you’re going is pretty rough sometimes. Yeah, I had some bad times. But thankfully, recently, it’s been pretty good.” 

Yet at the same time, the Kiwi motorsports ace also confessed his true motive in the sport. Growing up in a supportive family, Shane van Gisbergen learned how to make a hobby out of his work. He pointed out NASCAR’s schedule allows him to do what he loves: “I used to have so much fun when I was a kid racing. You just remember why you started – I always enjoyed racing going with my dad. And now I just try and race for fun. And especially in NASCAR, I try and get not too caught up in it. Like you have a bad week and then you have another race next week. So you get over it pretty quick and move on. Contrary to that, you have to stay grounded when you have a good one as well. Because it can be brought down to earth pretty quick too.”

Interestingly, SVG had brought up the ‘fun’ factor on his way out of Supercars.

When he lost the thrill of doing it

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Shane van Gisbergen ranks in the elite category of versatile racers. His move to NASCAR came after a 17-year stint and three titles in Supercars, besides dabbling in a whole load of other stuff. He won the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2016 in a GT3 car. Then SVG clinched the Bathurst 6 Hour in 2021 in a Production Car. He also placed third in the World Rally Championship, on his debut in the 2022 Rally New Zealand. What is more fascinating is Shane van Gisbergen’s thrill for having ‘fun’ propels him to accomplish laurels in the most unlikely places. Yet his own home ground ended up ticking him off at the end of his career there.

Right before his NASCAR debut in 2023, Shane van Gisbergen confessed his dislike of the new Gen 3 cars. He felt they limited driver input and put a premium on set-up. He stressed the ‘fun’ factor on a Dale Jr. Download episode, “It’s not as enjoyable.” SVG further explained: “It’s just the new car and stuff, and there’s so much background… They changed [the car]. A whole new chassis and concept. Everyone is the same, same parts. The qualifying there is awesome, but the racing sucks. It’s so boring. You’re driving around at 30 percent trying to keep the tires and everybody is just following each other.” In comparison, NASCAR looked dazzling to him: “I came here [to NASCAR] and the race is just a hustle the whole time, you’re driving flat out. That’s what I love.”

Although SVG is still securing his footing in NASCAR, he cannot deny that he is enjoying the process. We are eager to see him perform in the 2024 Cup Series schedule.