Shane van Gisbergen was almost unknown outside dedicated motorsport circles when he first arrived in America’s NASCAR scene in July 2023. But with a win at Chicago in his very first Cup Series start, SVG instantly disrupted expectations and set his career on a bold new path. A late-race restart, twenty-plus cars diving into Turn 1, and a level of contact he hadn’t experienced in over a decade of international racing left him stunned. It wasn’t dirty driving, necessarily; it was just different.

Coming from the more regulated environment of Supercars, SVG found himself grappling with a racing culture where unwritten rules seemed to shift by the lap. As someone known for his calculated aggression and race craft, he realized quickly that NASCAR demanded something else entirely. The adaptation wouldn’t be just mechanical; it would be mental. And like every oval, every road course, and every competitor, it would require learning fast.

SVG reveals how his aggression isn’t the same for all

After dominating the Supercars Championship in Australia, SVG arrived with well-honed instincts built on a tightly officiated series where aggressive driving had clear limits and immediate repercussions. NASCAR, on the other hand, introduced him to a culture far more dependent on unwritten rules, driver judgment, and reputational equity. The pivotal moment came during his early race at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), where he learned firsthand that physicality and track position often override traditional notions of racing etiquette in the States.

Recounting that experience on The Dale Jr. Download, SVG described his first real brush with NASCAR-style restarts. When Dale Earnhardt Jr. asked if such chaos changed the way he approached racing, SVG was honest about the internal shift he’d undergone. He noted that aggression in NASCAR doesn’t come in one form; it’s tailored based on who you’re racing:

“Yeah, yes and no… You learn other drivers, right? Like you know, that guy who did that at COTA, the 21 car, he’d do that every day, even to his grandma probably. Racing against Chase Briscoe on the weekend, he’s someone I know is gonna race me hard and push things to the limit, but he’s not just gonna spin me out for no reason. But you know, if the 77 was behind me on the last restart, I’m s******g myself, you know. So it’s very specific, very specific who it is.”

The lesson that NASCAR is about reading people as much as it is about reading the track has defined SVG’s adjustment period. In Supercars, consistent penalties and strict oversight kept his aggression in check. In NASCAR, respect is enforced through reputations built over time. SVG quickly understood he could no longer rely on a race director to police fairness. He had to take the matters in his own hands, lap after lap.

SVG explained the reputation he wants to maintain in this new landscape: “I like to race people with respect because most guys will do it back to you… And that’s the reputation you wanna build as a…I wanna be known as hard and aggressive but also fair, you know. I don’t wanna be just hitting people for no reason. And I hope people race me back the same way.”

His experience in Supercars, where even fairly minor contact could trigger an investigation, contrasted sharply with the NASCAR model: “It’s cleaner [in Supercars], but you have a judge who’s dishing out penalties. It’s very inconsistent. You never know where you stood…there was always a blurry line there. Whereas here, it’s pretty cut and dry. You just can’t put anyone in the grandstand, but you can do whatever else you like and get away with it.”

When co-host TJ Majors probed which system he preferred, especially after spending time in both, SVG was quick to respond: “I prefer this way because you build more respect between your competitors, and you just sort it out yourselves. But also, I understand we probably couldn’t do it at home, cause you don’t race enough, and cars are more expensive…you have the same car all year. So, you probably couldn’t race like that down there. But I think here it works very well, and it polices itself very well.”

This insight reveals a deeper truth about SVG’s NASCAR journey, not simply that he had to become more aggressive, but that he had to rethink how he defines fairness, respect, and competition. He’s not just muscling into corners more often; he’s recalibrated how far is too far and who decides that. In NASCAR, as he’s learned, the answer usually isn’t race control. It’s the guy in the other car.

How SVG’s aggression is helping him dominate on road courses

Shane van Gisbergen’s rapid adaptation to NASCAR’s aggressive racing culture is on full display in his results. After debuting in America with a stunning win at the 2023 Chicago Street Race, SVG made his full-time move by joining Trackhouse Racing at the start of the 2024 season. Since then, he has redefined what a rookie can accomplish on NASCAR’s most demanding road and street circuits.

In the 2025 season, SVG has quickly become the driver to beat on tracks that feature right turns. He’s claimed three Cup Series victories Mexico City, Chicago, and Sonoma, tying him with established stars Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin for the most wins so far this year. His win at Sonoma was particularly dominant; SVG led 97 of 110 laps, survived multiple late-race restarts, and finished ahead of front-runners like Chase Briscoe and Kyle Larson.

Impressed by Shane van Gisbergen’s performance in recent weeks, renowned journalist Jordan Bianchi said, “I wouldn’t feel comfortable having a driver out of the playoffs if they had three wins. I don’t care how they got those wins. Winning three times in the Cup Series is damn hard to do, like it is really hard to do. There are great drivers, Chase Elliott, who haven’t won three races in a season in a while.” Bianchi also added, “I don’t care! What he is doing deserves recognition, and it deserves to be rewarded with a playoff spot.”

Statistically, his average finish on road and street courses is 3.34, a figure that stands far ahead of the rest of the Cup Series field. His presence has elevated Trackhouse Racing as a top contender on these circuits, with the team now boasting four wins in the last eight races.

SVG’s discipline, quick learning, and willingness to match NASCAR’s aggressive ethos have earned both victories and respect. As analysts and competitors alike have observed, van Gisbergen’s success has raised the bar for what’s possible for newcomers and reshaped the road course pecking order in NASCAR. Shane van Gisbergen will now prepare for this coming weekend’s race at Dover Motor Speedway. Named AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400, the 400-lap feature will stream live on TNT Sports with exclusive radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.