Shane Van Gisbergen Teases Post NASCAR-Exit Plans Hours After Signing Contract

Let’s be honest, when was the last time a foreign NASCAR driver got a lot of hype, and also lived up to it? Over the years, there have been several non-American drivers who raced in the sport. Fewer still have managed to win NASCAR Cup races, and some of those names are pretty legendary. However, no one has been writing history the way Shane van Gisbergen has been doing currently, in the motorsports world.

Truthfully, there have been many top foreign drivers in NASCAR. Chief among them are Mario Andretti, Marcos Ambrose, and F1 alumnus, Juan Pablo Montoya. Marcos Ambrose hails from Australia, won two Cup races at Watkins Glen, and Juan Pablo Montoya, from Colombia, scored two Cup wins and brought big international attention to the sport. SVG is just the latest non-American driver to compete in the sport, but he has arguably made a much bigger impact. Recently, van Gisbergen also penned a new contract with Trackhouse Racing, implying that he’s happy to be where he is right now. But does that mean SVG has reached his final destination?

Shane van Gisbergen is happy with NASCAR but teases his future plans

In the pre-race press conference for Watkins Glen, SVG was asked about how long he plans to stay in NASCAR. His immediate response was, “I don’t know, haven’t really thought about it. I definitely have a lot of years left in me.” Though SVG entered late in the American racing world at 34, the way he is currently performing, and as per his age too, it is indeed true that he’s got a long time before he can think of retirement or any other racing plans.

Age plays a huge role in a sportsperson’s life when it comes to any sport. However, with NASCAR, it’s less lenient as it doesn’t require the same physical agility or stamina that you would need in a continuous action-performing sport involving multiple body movements. SVG also realizes this as he said, “And it seems like we’re lucky as race car drivers to have a very long shelf life. You see guys competitive till their late 40s. So I can go as long as I want.” A fair handful of drivers are already 40 years old, and many of them look like they are still on top of their game. A prime example is Denny Hamlin, who is 44 and still winning races and looking competitive.

But does this mean SVG will not be experimenting anymore with other racing opportunities? “I do have other things in racing I do want to try. I still want to do some European stuff, I want to do Nurburgring 24, that’s on my list to do that properly. Want to do a bit more rally car driving, I got into that in 2021-22. That’s a crazy sport, so I’d love to do that. Definitely for now, I want to stay in NASCAR and concentrate on that.”

NASCAR as a sport is heavily demanding. The demands extend far beyond race day, with drivers juggling packed schedules of travel, sponsor commitments, media appearances, team meetings, and community events alongside their intense on-track duties. This certainly take a toll on the drivers, including SVG, who said, “It is a sport that fully consumes you. I am very homesick, I miss home a lot and there’s no time to get back there. I’m a long way from home and I’ll move back there as soon as I’m done racing.” However, this does not imply that he wishes to finish things soon and wind up. “I don’t have a timeline. Two years ago, I wasn’t meant to be here. I’m really happy here at the moment and can see myself doing it for a while…I’m happy here for now.”

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 16: Shane Van Gisbergen 88 TrackHouse Racing WeatherTech Chevrolet shakes hands prior to the running of the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Daytona 500 on February 16, 2025 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 16 NASCAR Cup Series DAYTONA 500 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon25021616042500

SVG is eyeing a historic fourth road course and Cup Series win this weekend

For Sunday’s Cup race at Watkins Glen, van Gisbergen lines up on the front row. About the track, he said, “I really love the racing here. … I feel like we’re the benchmark, which is really awesome to be.” Ryan Blaney had the honor of being the pole-sitter, but the two have stiff competition around them. Right behind them are Chase Briscoe, while van Gisbergen has an ally in the form of Ross Chastain. Kyle Busch starts in 5th place, and he is surprisingly underrated on road courses. Alongside him is another road course expert, in the form of Michael McDowell.

Most of the time, the foreign racers tend to perform well on road courses. Montoya’s two wins came at Sonoma and Watkins Glen. Marcos Ambrose won back-to-back Watkins Glen races, and SVG has won three road course races already this year. Daniel Suarez is a bit of an outlier because while he won at Sonoma, he also clinched a win at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Earl Ross and Mario Andretti are also exceptions to the rule, with the former winning at Martinsville. Meanwhile, Andretti won the Daytona 500, his only NASCAR Cup Series race win.

In case of SVG, he will not like to repeat his last year’s mistake at The Glen when he overshot Turn 1 while battling for the lead, losing his position, and ended up being the runner-up. “That’s painful whenever you make a mistake that’s entirely your fault… I’m quite self-analytical…It frustrates me…had confidence knowing we were the fastest car by far last year, and we just need to keep building on that.”

But if SVG manages to clinch this win, he’ll become the first driver in NASCAR history to win his first four Cup victories exclusively on road courses.