Shane Van Gisbergen Potentially Saves His NASCAR Seat for One More Season

“This is a big day in so many ways for Trackhouse Racing, Shane, Chevrolet, and race fans around the world.” This is what Trackhouse founder and owner Justin Marks said when he signed Shane van Gisbergen to a full-time developmental deal, effectively launching his much-hyped NASCAR journey. However, the 2025 season was always going to ask some hard questions. The ovals were punishing, and the results are very inconsistent.

While SVG wasn’t exactly on the hot seat, he was definitely warming it, especially with rising expectations and the brutal reality of results-driven decision-making. But then came Mexico. A new track for everyone, a familiar skill set, and for the first time in months, a clear runway for SVG to shine. The road course wizard had one shot. And SVG, well, he didn’t waste it.

Shane van Gisbergen nailed his best shot

“The final 20, 30, 40 laps of this race was all Shane Van Gisbergen.” NASCAR analyst Eric Estepp couldn’t have summed it up better. From Lap 70 onward, after battling Christopher Bell on a late restart, Shane Van Gisbergen put on a road-course masterclass in Mexico City. By the time the checkered flag dropped, SVG had won the Viva México 250 by a whopping 16.5 seconds! This is the largest Cup Series margin of victory since a Texas fuel-mileage race more than a decade ago. His blistering late-run pace left the field in the dust as he closed with lap times nearly a full second faster than anyone else. But this win wasn’t just about domination; it was about survival.

“No driver was under more pressure coming into today than SVG. While Shane has somewhat adapted to oval racing the past couple of years, he’s still not a great oval racer,” Estepp pointed out on his YouTube channel. The numbers back that up. Shane van Gisbergen has shone on road courses with a 10.9 average finish overall. He had a best of a 6th-place finish in COTA, and now a win at Mexico in 2025. But on ovals in 2025, he has been terribly sub-par, until a recent streak of top-20s showed progress.

His best oval finish is 14th at Charlotte, followed by 18th at Michigan and another top 20 at Kansas and Darlington. While these results show progress, they also highlight that SVG still has significant work ahead to become competitive on every type of track in NASCAR. But with the win and you’re in playoff system, all SVG needs is to get it right on one road course, out of the six on the current Cup Schedule, and Mexico City was arguably his best shot.

As Estepp pointed out, “Most of the field has never turned a lap here [Mexico City], advantage SVG. Sonoma’s coming up, there’s Watkins Glen later this summer. Those are road courses that this whole field has hundreds of laps on. SVG’s advantage is a bit slimmer. Mexico City was probably Shane van Gisbergen’s best opportunity to win and lock himself into the 16-driver playoffs.” This was the one shot SVG had, and he took it in style, and also achieved arguably the only reason he was signed for a full-time Cup Series ride: playoff bonuses.

“Qualifying for the playoffs is worth millions and bonus charter money payouts at the end of the year. It’s a huge, huge deal,” Estepp explained. For drivers and teams alike, making the playoffs is a game-changer. Not only does it bring prestige and media attention, but it also unlocks substantial financial rewards. This was a key reason for Justin Marks to hire SVG. After his stellar debut at Chicago, where he dominated from the get-go and won the race, Marks realized the value he could bring by just winning a single race.

Teams receive millions in bonus charter money, and drivers gain invaluable exposure and negotiating power for future contracts. For Shane van Gisbergen, a strong performance in Mexico not only boosted his confidence but also strengthened his position within his team, potentially securing his seat for the long term. But SVG wasn’t the only driver racing with his future on the line in Mexico. Daniel Suárez, the hometown hero, had his high-pressure storyline unfolding. And like SVG, Mexico may have turned out to be the lifeline he desperately needed.

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Hometown pressure turns into a potential lifeline for Suárez

Daniel Suárez has no confirmed ride for 2026. And on the track, Suárez’s 2025 campaign hasn’t offered much leverage. Sitting 28th in the Cup Series standings, he’s struggled to find consistency all year long. A poor performance in front of his home crowd in Mexico could have all but ended his hopes of securing a competitive seat next season at Trackhouse Racing or even cost him his place at NASCAR overall. Instead, Suárez, like Shane van Gisbergen, rose to the occasion.

After crashing his primary car during practice for the Xfinity Series race, Suárez was forced to start from the rear, driving for JR Motorsports. But the setback only added to the drama. Roaring through the field, he went from last to first! He pulled off one of the most thrilling victories of the season. His triumph lit up the grandstands and certainly would have been a huge boost for his confidence. However, that wasn’t reflected on Sunday.

The Cup Series race the following day wasn’t as dramatic, but it was respectable. Suárez brought home a solid 19th-place finish. While it didn’t move the needle in the standings, Suárez remains 28th with 274 points. The performance showed that he could race clean, stay competitive, and rally under immense pressure, but contending for a Cup win is still a distant dream for the Monterrey native.

Regardless, it was a good weekend for Suárez, and a necessary one, too. Trackhouse owner Justin Marks has remained vague about future plans. Trackhouse Racing has just three full-time Cup seats available, but four drivers are fighting for them, with Xfinity rookie sensation Connor Zilisch and even Shane van Gisbergen crowding the picture; nothing is guaranteed.

So, did Mexico prove that Suárez deserves another year? Or did it just provide one final highlight on his résumé? Let us know in the comments!