Tears welled in Shane van Gisbergen’s father Robert’s eyes as he watched his son celebrate in Victory Lane. Why wouldn’t they? He had returned to the racetrack after months of heartbreak, standing tall despite losing three of the most important people in his life, all within a year. Coming back to support Shane wasn’t easy, but it mattered. Shane had just conquered Watkins Glen with a commanding win, but the real triumph was far more personal. There was something deeper in that moment. Something that went beyond racing stats and podium finishes. For Shane, it wasn’t just about winning. It was about who was there to witness it. Because behind every lap, every trophy, and every cheer from the grandstands, there’s a deeper truth that’s always driven him: family.

Remember when Shane van Gisbergen said, “I owe everything to my family,” back in 2016, moments after clinching the Supercars title? At the time, it felt like a heartfelt tribute. But nine years later, the weight and relevance of those words have only increased. Driving for the NASCAR Cup Series at present, the motorsports athlete keeps extending his laurels indefinitely. While experiencing the high of SVG’s road course victories, ever wondered where his legendary talent came from? The Kiwi speedster revealed a hefty portion of his background after his latest feat at Watkins Glen. And his story is heavy with tragedy.

Shane van Gisbergen is fighting against the dying of the light

Whenever sadness visits one’s home, it presents a vacuum. That vacuum can seem to consume you into an abyss of no hope. Yet Shane van Gisbergen is covering that vacuum with endless achievements. The Kiwi speedster is the greatest road course sensation in NASCAR at present, after he again put up a jaw-dropping victory in Watkins Glen. He led a race-best 38 of 90 laps, including the last 17. SVG’s No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet officially crossed the finish line by an astonishing 11.116 seconds ahead of Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell. Beyond the obvious stats on the racetrack, what mattered deeply to SVG was the presence of his father on Victory Lane.

Robert van Gisbergen, a renowned rally and circuit racer back home in Auckland, New Zealand, has always been a steadfast supporter of his son’s ambitions. However, the past year has taken a toll on the Gisbergen family – in April 2024, Karen Wallace, SVG’s mother, passed away at the age of 64. In a post-race interview in Watkins Glen, SVG reflected on his dad’s struggles, as more bereavements plagued the family. “It’s been pretty difficult. He lost his wife (or) my mother, then his sister, and then his mum a month or so ago. So it’s been a really rough run for Dad. Yeah, it’s hard to support him when I’m on the other side of the world. That’s probably why I’m the most homesick, you know.” 

Dealing with multiple tragedies leaves a permanent scar on you, but SVG’s father is surviving it nonetheless. The lingering grief made Shane van Gisbergen’s victory more emotional, as the Kiwi continued, “To have him here, he was almost in tears, too. So it’s really special to share that. Yeah, we’re a long way from home.” From grooming his racing skills to being present at SVG’s Supercars victories, Robert has been a constant pillar of support. Now, he is here for his son’s 2025 NASCAR playoff run. SVG continued about his father’s plans: “Yeah, having him here for the next three weeks and having a win with him, it’s really cool to have that moment.”

Shane van Gisbergen continues not going gentle into the good night. While coping with life’s struggles together with his father, he is also carving out a name for himself.

The stars are falling in place

In the earlier portion of 2025, the doubts were immense. Shane van Gisbergen regularly finished outside of the top 30, incurring 3 DNFs on NASCAR’s traditional oval tracks. However, his rage picked up in mid-year, as SVG stormed to Victory Lane in Mexico City in June. From then onwards, there was no stopping him. SVG has not ceased his road course fury, as he clinched his 4th victory this season in Watkins Glen. These four wins set a new Cup record for most victories in a rookie season. Van Gisbergen broke a tie with Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart. What is more, he also joined racing legend Dan Gurney in scoring his first five career Cup Series victories on road courses.

In the post-race interview in Watkins Glen, Shane van Gisbergen said this was his purpose all along. Breaking records with his stellar team and proving his doubters wrong were his goals: “That’s why I moved here, and that’s why I guess Justin [Marks, Trackhouse Racing CEO] believed in me and he knew I could do this…I’ve changed my life to come and do this, and to come and make true of what everyone believed in me, and to execute myself and get everything right, it’s why I go racing. As I said, sharing it with those people and seeing how much it means to the guys who work every week so hard on the car and their pit stops, yeah, it’s so cool. It means the world to everyone.”

Clearly, Shane van Gisbergen is making the best of his life’s opportunities. In living through the challenges together with his father, he is making his journey more meaningful.