NASCAR racing has certainly brought the best out of Kiwi driver Shane van Gisbergen. So much so that he has been quickly accepted by the fans, who root for him on every race day. Surprisingly, they didn’t turn on him after his on-track battle with Austin Hill, a tussle in which, for the most part, he’s come out on top.

So what’s so unique about Shane van Gisbergen that has struck the right chords with the NASCAR community? According to the driver himself, it has to do with his personality, one that he wasn’t sure would be accepted in NASCAR. More importantly, the sport itself has allowed him to open up and express himself, something that he wasn’t able to do in the Supercars Series in Australia.

SVG has quickly embraced NASCAR’s racing culture

One of the key factors that drives the sport is the compelling stories and characters different drivers bring to the table. Not everyone can be the Intimidator; there has to be a sort of balance. While the likes of Denny Hamlin are seen as villains, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott are touted as the superstars of the NASCAR world. This creates fascination and excitement among the fans. Moreover, it allows them to choose and rally behind their favorite driver, with whom they connect.

However, Shane van Gisbergen was void of these experiences back in the Supercars. But he seems to have connected well with the race fans in the USA. When asked about how he established that bond in such a short time, the Kiwi Speedster explained, “I’m a pretty shy, reserved person, but I can still have a personality. But in the Australian media the last few years, you get judged so harshly by the media and the fans. You sort of shell up and sometimes get aggressive about it, or you don’t say the right thing, or you hold everything in. And you get smashed for it.” SVG said this in an interview with Jeff Gluck.

Back in Australia, he and the other drivers would get judged for expressing themselves. But in NASCAR, it is the total opposite, and this is appreciated by the Kiwi driver. “I see that in a lot of personalities here. All the drivers have much more personality. Everyone has personality in Australia, but not outwardly publicly. You’re able to show it here and not get judged so much. People, media, and fans seem to appreciate it more here and resonate with it. I’m trying not to overthink it because I think just being myself is working.”

What’s next for SVG? Well, if we are to go by his rookie Xfinity Series season, he has been able to hold strong against seasoned oval drivers. Moreover, he has delivered on the road course front with two wins to his name. He does have room to grow in terms of oval racing, but that won’t keep him from leveling up to the Cup Series.

Shane van Gisbergen is aiming for a full-time ride in the Cup Series

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Behind the shy and jolly character of SVG, there is also a fierce competitor and a race car driver. One might think that a Rookie of the Season award, coupled with a bunch of wins in the Xfinity Series, would be a success for a driver like van Gisbergen. But, like most of the drivers running in the Xfinity Series, his ultimate goal is to break into the Cup Series permanently. And he is putting that pressure on himself to perform better to secure his Cup ride.

“It’s hard to explain. This year I have that pressure because I’m trying to perform to move up (to the Cup Series). But also, if I’m 15th and have a straight car and learn a lot, that’s still a good day. So it’s taken a while to adjust to that.” Moreover, he also made his intentions clear of his Cup ambitions to Dustin Albina from Jayski, stating, “That’s why I moved here.”

Well, he sure will be putting on an audition show this weekend, pulling double duty at the Chicago Street race. Maybe a back-to-back win would open the doors for him to make the leap to the Cup Series.