The star Kiwi driver has been packing punches in the 2023 NASCAR season. In his only second year of racing on American soil, Shane van Gisbergen has proven that he can adapt to any track with ease. Securing a podium finish in Atlanta and a P6 finish in Phoenix, SVG is on fire. And now he has definitely wowed his fans in Martinsville. Securing a spot in the qualifier, the difficulty of his ordeal was already apparent. Regardless, the paper-clip race track threw a slew of challenges in his way, yet Shane van Gisbergen prevailed while showcasing an amazing race.

Shane van Gisbergen displays raw strength

The Xfinity race that unfolded in Martinsville was far from simple. Riddled with wrecks and cautions, the high-speed outing posed several hurdles in Gisbergen’s path. Yet he carved his way around them, working his way up the ladder. For instance, a multi-car wreck spilled out in the second stage, and a caution was called. Shane van Gisbergen’s No. 97 car was quick to narrowly miss the rotating No. 26 car of Corey Heim, one of the 13 cars involved. Also, after a crash on lap 71, SVG found himself in the high lane in 14th on lap 81.

Despite going 14th fastest in the weekend practice, Shane van Gisbergen used his immense strategy and strength to fight back against the daunting elements of the race. Eventually, he finished in P12, his third-best finish this season. The team helped him a lot, as Kaulig Racing posted on X with the Kiwi’s quote post-race: “Holy sh*t that was fun!”

Speedway Digest journalist Brett Winningham talked about SVG’s encounter with Jeb Burton. After losing a few spots in the final laps of Stage 2, Shane van Gisbergen got aggressive. Working his way up to 17th after the 8th caution, the Kiwi tapped the rear of Jeb Burton to snatch 15th place.

Another NASCAR entity congratulated Gisbergen’s impressive outing. “Shane Van Gisbergen with another impressive outing in the Xfinity Race at Martinsville. 12th on a tricky short track. Surely will win a race this season #NASCAR #XfinitySeries”.

As Shane van Gisbergen fires his engines and gains track position in NASCAR, it is prudent to remember his roots and how high he ranks as a Kiwi driver.

Gisbergen is one of the greats in New Zealand

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Taking a trip across the world to the sixth-largest island country, we see that our star Kiwi driver has already left a mark. Before venturing into NASCAR, Shane van Gisbergen left trailblazing memories on his home turf. Among 85 drivers, Gisbergen accounts for the most wins (80) in the total 220 victories secured in the ATCC/Supercars.

That is not all, as SVG holds a respectable spot in the Bathurst championship bracket as well. He holds three championship titles, tying with Scott McLaughlin. SVG trails behind only Jim Richards, who holds a whopping four titles. Clearly, Shane van Gisbergen has a lot of tricks up his sleeve to maneuver his way to the top of the NASCAR ranks.

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