Shane van Gisbergen missed out on the Chase narrowly. But looking back on the 2026 season, he’s shown real signs of improvement across multiple areas and has outperformed Ross Chastain, who, for years, was the face of Trackhouse Racing. This may complicate things in the organization, according to former Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick.
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With Conor Zilisch already set to leave for Hendrick Motorsports in 2028, Harvick believes Trackhouse could soon face a difficult decision regarding its driver lineup and SVG’s growing leverage.
“There’s a lot of horsepower behind SVG from a sponsorship side, from a marketing side, a following side. Really valuable from a driver standpoint, not just from on-track performance, but as you know, the off-race track stuff can be just as important as everything else when it comes to dollars and cents from a marketing standpoint to be able to make these cars go around the racetrack,” Harvick said on the SPEED podcast with Will Buxton.
“So, it’ll be a really interesting scenario as to what Shane wants to do when we get, you know, halfway through next year. You’ve got to start making decisions,” he added.
Harvick believes SVG has emerged as Trackhouse’s strongest overall driver in 2026. The New Zealander, who was once known primarily for his road-course exploits, has shown real signs of progress on ovals as well. He finished fifth at Nashville and North Wilkesboro and sixth at Atlanta. He also secured his first oval pole at Richmond and won a stage on an oval for the first time at Daytona last weekend.
He only narrowly missed a Chase berth after Ryan Preece pulled off a magical win in the Coke Zero Sugar 400, something that could be attributed more to Trackhouse’s months of underperformance than to SVG’s own results.
SVG finished 17th in the regular season, with five top-fives and seven top-10s. Chastain finished two places behind, with just one top-five and five top-10s. And Harvick believes that development has made SVG the best-performing car at Trackhouse this year. His growing popularity has also strengthened his position within the organization.
Major partners associated with the organization, including Red Bull, Quad Lock and Safety Culture, have ties to the New Zealander, while his international following gives Trackhouse access to an audience that few other drivers can match.
SVG is already committed to Trackhouse for the immediate future. He signed a multi-year contract extension with the organization in August 2025, keeping him under contract through at least the 2027 season. That means Trackhouse does not face an immediate threat of losing him. However, Harvick’s comments suggest the bigger question could come when the team begins planning beyond that contract.
That situation becomes more complicated when Chastain’s position is considered. He has endured a difficult 2026 campaign compared with the standard he established during his rise at Trackhouse. The former Championship runner-up finished 10th in the final standings just one season ago.
The team’s struggles with car speed and mechanical reliability have played a role. Trackhouse has not consistently given its drivers the equipment needed to compete at the front. Still, SVG has managed to produce stronger results — he won twice, in Watkins Glen and Sonoma — when the car has been competitive.
Chastain is also under contract through 2027. His long-term value is undeniable, though his current season has created questions about whether Trackhouse will view him as the driver to build around once the next contract cycle begins.
Chastain has made the postseason in three of the last five seasons. But NASCAR is an unforgiving sport when it comes to recent form. The 2026 season has changed the conversation. If SVG continues improving on ovals while maintaining his commercial appeal, Trackhouse could have to decide whether he is the centerpiece of its next era.