Shane van Gisbergen is no doubt having a stellar 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign. With three wins in the bag and an assured path to the playoffs, it looked like the Kiwi driver had started to make strides in adapting to ovals. But just before the playoffs, it was announced that his crew chief, Bruce Schlicker, wouldn’t be calling the shots for the No. 97 car anymore.

Usually, a change in the pit box is mostly due to a lack of performance on the track or a potential dispute. However, it’s hard to argue that this was the case with SVG and Shlicker, given how good of a season they were having at Kaulig Racing. As a result, Kevin Walter was announced as the replacement for Shlicker, but how this move could lead to SVG’s downfall? Here’s what Eric Estepp believes.

Is Shane van Gisbergen handed a broken straw?

The Kiwi driver certainly found the right man in Bruce Schlicker to guide him in his rookie NASCAR season. In the 20 Xfinity starts, the driver-chief duo was pretty impressive, with three wins at Portland, Sonoma, and Chicago. Although it was expected that SVG would be one to watch out for on the road course, he exceeded expectations. In doing so, he became the only driver to notch up three wins this season.

However, he needed to overcome his shortcomings at the ovals and looked to be on that track with a P4 finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But now that Walter is taking command of the #97 team, the prospect of a strong playoff run looks bleak.

To be precise, “Now he’ll have to work with a different crew chief, someone who I would say, has underwhelmed with Josh Williams this year. No 11 so far this year, 18th in points, has been very disappointing,” is what Eric Estepp said via his YouTube channel.

Evidently, Kevin Walter hasn’t been able to put up a competitive performance with Williams in the No. 11 car so far this season. The team has only managed three top-10 finishes compared to three wins for the #97 team. Technically, it could be a big jolt to the Kiwi driver’s streak of good runs and hopes of a solid playoff outcome.

So what’s next for SVG? Trying to cope with a sudden change mid-season is precarious for even seasoned drivers, but Shane van Gisbergen is still in his rookie career. However, he can still rely on his prowess to go deep into the playoffs.

A win at Charlotte Roval could be the saving grace for SVG

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In total, the Kiwi driver will have six races to gel in with the changes and a new crew chief. While the ovals are not his strongest suit, he could certainly build on his P4 run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It has to be noted that SVG will be able to get a second run on the oval tracks after this Olympics break. With two top 15 finishes at Daytona and Darlington backed by a P3 finish, his best oval result could provide him with the momentum he needs going into knockout rounds.

As far as his run in the playoff is concerned, he does have the option of playing to his strengths at the road course race at Roval. This is the only road course event in the playoffs, and as far as his track record goes, he will be among the top contenders to win that event. A victory would allow him to move further in the competition; a potential Round of 8 run for a rookie driver would be a solid outcome.

It remains to be seen how the new driver-crew chief partnership develops and how it impacts the team’s run going further into the season. Right now, all the opinions and predictions are nothing but educated guesses, as a lot can change with the results on the racetrack.