In 2024, at the GEICO 500, the Big One waited until the last lap of the Talladega Superspeedway. When it finally hit, it delivered mayhem. Michael McDowell, leading off Turn 4, tried to block Brad Keselowski’s charge but miscalculated, triggering a massive multi-car pileup. Chaos spread across the track as cars slammed into the outside wall, with some briefly airborne before coming to a stop. Caught in the middle of the madness was Shane van Gisbergen, driving in his first superspeedway race in the Cup Series.

Instinctively, he backed off to avoid the worst of it. But not every driver chose caution. Kyle Busch’s aggressive approach stood out, leaving SVG stunned. Now, almost a year later, during the Media Day at the Daytona 500, van Gisbergen shed light on the stark differences in mentality at superspeedways.

Shane van Gisbergen reflects on NASCAR’s superspeedway chaos

Matt Weaver shared a post on X recently that covered Shane van Gisbergen’s candid Media Day interview with Sportsnaut ahead of the Daytona 500. SVG touched on his experience with superspeedway racing in NASCAR, highlighting his struggles to adapt to its chaotic nature. What stood out was the contrasting mindset of drivers at these high-risk events. It’s a world far removed from what van Gisbergen was used to in Australian Supercars.

During the interview, van Gisbergen revisited his first superspeedway experience at the GEICO 500 in 2024, recalling his last-lap driving amidst the infamous crash. While others, including Kyle Busch, kept the throttle down and charged into the wreck, SVG instinctively backed off. “There was a wreck in Turn 4, and I thought I should back down and he (Kyle Busch) just stayed flat out and just drove into the crash carelessly,” SVG said.

Although SVG avoided significant damage and finished with a clean car, Richard Childress’ driver’s aggressive approach earned him several extra spots. “He’s still crashing and spinning, the car is completely destroyed and my thing is brand new and ready to race next week, but he gained three or four more points,” he said. Eventually, Busch (27) managed to finish ahead of Gisbergen (28), bagging 16 points in total. However, SVG’s reaction reflects the difference in owners like Richard Childress, who possess the financial backing, allowing their drivers to take extra risks while racing.

What surprised Shane van Gisbergen the most was the unique mentality among NASCAR drivers at superspeedways. “It’s like leading pigs to slaughter. They just treat the cars here like they’re disposable,” SVG acknowledged. For SVG, the lesson was clear—adapt or be left behind. His progress became evident in his last outing at Talladega.

He managed to get in the race lead for 9 laps and ended with a much better 15th-place finish. Now, with ample experience of driving at the superspeedway behind him, van Gisbergen feels that he can finally flow with the rest of the drivers. He believes he has a better judgment about running at such tracks.

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SVG wasn’t always a fan of superspeedways

In the same interview, Shane van Gisbergen revealed how his perception of superspeedway racing has drastically changed since joining NASCAR. “I used to watch it on TV and thought it was boring,” admitted the three-time Australian Supercars champion. “I thought they were just flat out the whole way.” His early assumptions quickly faded once he experienced the intensity of superspeedway racing firsthand.

According to Shane van Gisbergen, there’s much more strategy involved than most outsiders realize. “In Cup, you’re always jockeying for position, fuel saving, and trying to place yourself in the right spots,” he explained. Every lap presents a new challenge, from reading the draft to managing green-flag pit stops. These complexities make superspeedway racing a constant mental game rather than a flat-out sprint.

As he continues to adapt to NASCAR, van Gisbergen finds himself fascinated by the skill and strategy required. “It’s quite fascinating learning all these skills,” he said. With each race, he’s not just learning. He’s proving he belongs. “I certainly feel like I can be in it now,” he added, a confident nod to his growing comfort in the Cup Series. With him finishing a decent 17th at the Daytona 500 practice, it’s clear SVG is steadily finding his groove. The upcoming race will be a true test of how much he’s learned. All eyes will be on van Gisbergen to see if he can turn that growing confidence into a solid result on NASCAR’s biggest stage.