Ever since his jaw-dropping debut win at the 2023 Chicago Street Race, Shane van Gisbergen has carried the aura of NASCAR’s undisputed road-course assassin. His 2025 campaign only amplified the legend with five wins, all on street and road circuits, each reinforcing the idea that SVG was untouchable anywhere with right-hand turns. However, if there’s one place that consistently refuses to bow to the Kiwi’s brilliance, it’s Circuit of The Americas. And after this year’s race, Kevin Harvick made it clear: COTA isn’t just a weak spot for SVG. It might be his only true kryptonite.

Kevin Harvick reveals SVG’s only real weakness

“COTA seems to be his kryptonite. He doesn’t seem to show the same ability at COTA that he does at the other road courses. COTA is a very unique racetrack.”

Kevin Harvick’s breakdown of Shane van Gisbergen’s performance wasn’t criticism for the sake of it. Rather, it was an honest assessment from someone who knows exactly what separates good road racers from generational ones. On Sunday, SVG’s five-race road-course win streak finally snapped with a hard-fought runner-up finish at Circuit of The Americas.

Despite entering the closing run in prime position after a restart with 17 laps remaining, the Trackhouse Racing star simply had nothing for Tyler Reddick, who dominated the field with unshakeable pace. Van Gisbergen tried to keep the No. 45 in sight. However, the gap widened as the laps clicked away, ultimately ballooning to 3.9 seconds at the checkered flag.

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Even with his incredible road-course résumé (Mexico City, Chicago, Sonoma, and the Charlotte Roval twice), COTA remains the one track SVG has yet to conquer. His streak had begun after finishing sixth there a year prior, and now, even with significantly more NASCAR experience, the Austin circuit continues to be the outlier. Meanwhile, Jeff Gordon still stands untouched with the record of six consecutive Cup Series road-course victories.

For SVG, finishing second at one of the most technically demanding tracks on the schedule is hardly a failure. But the fact remains: COTA exposes a weakness no other track can. And as Kevin Harvick pointed out, until he solves the unique rhythm, braking demands, and car-rotation challenges of this circuit, the Kiwi’s road-course dominance will always come with one asterisk.

SVG Still Walks Away a Big Winner

It wasn’t an entirely bitter weekend for Shane van Gisbergen. His runner-up finish in Sunday’s Cup race didn’t just showcase competitive speed but also vaulted him 11 spots in the championship standings, placing him fifth heading into Phoenix Raceway. That kind of leap this early in the season is a major statement.

And the momentum was built the day before, when SVG reminded everyone why he’s NASCAR’s most feared road-course racer.

On Saturday, van Gisbergen delivered yet another masterclass in the Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas. Restarting sixth with five laps to go, he made the kind of move only a driver with supreme confidence and supreme skill dares attempt. Diving to the inside in Turn 1, SVG executed a four-wide pass for the lead, slicing through the pack with precision before pulling away.

From there, he controlled the race, beating Austin Hill to the line by 0.780 seconds and leading 31 laps, including every lap after that breathtaking restart. His win marked the fifth O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory of his career, continuing an astonishing streak: JR Motorsports’ 10th straight road-course win and the team’s 106th overall. When Sam Mayer overshot Turn 1 on the restart, van Gisbergen didn’t hesitate. He seized the open lane, took the lead, and never looked back.

Even if COTA remains his lone NASCAR road-course puzzle in the Cup Series, SVG leaves Austin with a trophy, a massive points gain, and his confidence fully intact. If this is what a “weaker” weekend looks like for him, the rest of the field should be very, very nervous.