Shane van Gisbergen is the man of the hour. His trailblazing performances on road and street courses, such as the sweeping NASCAR Cup Series victories in Chicago and Mexico City, have turned heads and shaped his legacy. With every twist and turn he navigates, SVG reveals a new combination of raw speed and calculated finesse that is captivating fans across America. However, it all started from a place down under.

SVG is a 3-time Australian V8 Supercars champion and has conquered the Bathurst 1000 three times as well. His pedigree is clearly unmatched in the southern hemisphere, so what made him make the trip up north to dominate in stock cars?

SVG opens up on how NASCAR rejuvenated him as a driver

Shane van Gisbergen’s journey is a case study in reinvention. From winning in his first-ever Cup Series start to taking a full-time leap into the Xfinity Series the very next year, followed by the Cup Series in 2025, seemed like a daunting task for a newbie. But SVG proved that while his oval racing is still a work in progress, no one can touch him on road courses. After winning the Grant Park 165 last week, SVG admitted, “These (road) races are like a holiday to me.” 

In a mid-week media availability, SVG spoke candidly with Kelly Crandall, offering glimpses of the mindset fueling his meteoric rise. The No. 88 Trackhouse Racing driver opened up about moving to NASCAR. Kelly wasted no time posting this on X, writing, “Shane van Gisbergen is doing a mid-week media availability, and he’s had some great humorous and honest answers.” On having three Cup Series triumphs, SVG says, “I feel like I made the best decision ever. I was hating racing in Australia, hating driving those cars, and now I’ve never had so much fun racing.”

That revelation is just bold; it is telling. Shane van Gisbergen’s shift from Supercars to NASCAR was driven not only by opportunity but also by a passion rekindled. He moved to the US full-time in 2024, seeking fresh challenges and a break from a racing environment that no longer let his fire. In fact, things were not always rosy for the Kiwi; he admitted that he almost quit racing in 2012, following his sixth supercar series campaign.

The Trackhouse Racing driver was driving for Stone Brothers Racing; however, he was still unconvinced about the team’s future under new ownership. He revealed in a 12 Questions Interview with Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, “In 2012, at the end of that year, I was out of racing. I wanted to stop, and I sort of did stop. And then Dad really convinced me to keep going, and we changed teams. It was a big legal s— fight, and I ended up joining another team. It was really bad publicly, but I was able to just knuckle down and focus on my driving.”

He then eventually joined Tekno Autosports, where he spent three seasons and won eight races, including one in his debut weekend in Adelaide. As he moved up the ranks to Triple Eight in 2016, he won his first supercar championship in his debut season with the team. After spending eight seasons at Triple Eight and winning two further championships before leaving the series behind, he made up his mind to pursue a career in NASCAR by the end of 2023, a decision SVG has admitted, “changed my life.”

When asked about watching back on his performance in Chicago, he quipped, saying, “No, I was there. I had a pretty good view.” That pole-to-pole win sweep in Chicago, Xfinity and Cup, showcasing his street course dominance. Starting from the front in both races, SVG led the majority of laps on the 2.2-mile, 12-turn circuit, becoming just the second driver in NASCAR history to sweep a weekend from pole. He now joins Kyle Busch in the history book, as Kyle won both series from the pole at Indianapolis in 2016.

With questions swelling about whether he’s thought about going back-to-back this weekend, SVG responded with his trademark humor, saying, “No, but thanks. I might. Ha. I don’t know. I just tried to be in the moment.” As NASCAR heads to Sonoma, SVG might just have the upper hand again. This iconic 2.52-mile, 12-turn road course is notorious for elevation changes, tight corners, and technical demands.

It’s a contrast from the Chicago Street layout, more flowing and rhythm-based with high-speed sweeps and blind crests. However, it’s a course that Cup drivers are more familiar with than SVG, so don’t expect another weekend sweep like Chicago. Meanwhile, NASCAR veteran Kevin Harvick couldn’t help but praise SVG’s road course talent after the sweep.

Shane van Gisbergen impresses Kevin Harvick

SVG added another accomplishment to his career by triumphing in Chicago for the fourth time in his career. Since entering the NASCAR Cup Series, van Gisbergen has stood out, and his recent stretch has only solidified his reputation as a road course expert. His adaptability and technical prowess have left an impression on not only fans but also respected ex-drivers like Kevin Harvick.

Harvick reflected on SVG’s rapid rise and ability to navigate tough courses. Describing the No. 88 driver’s arrival and swift success, Kevin underscored how rare it is to see such immediate impact from a newcomer. Harvick said, “The way that SVG came into the sport in 2023, when he won his first very race, and now we’re on the third year, and I think he’s won four of the six races at Chicago, with the Xfinity and the Cup races. He was in position to win the cup race last year as well. Got taken out there, or run into. The thing about Shane, on these types of courses, where the braking is rough, the way that he can manipulate the brakes and do the things that he does, the driving style that he has.”

SVG’s right foot braking at road courses has been a sight to behold, using a technique that not many use in stock car racing. When he burst onto the scene in 2023, NASCAR had an in-car camera to watch his feet move, and his mastery of braking and accelerating at the Chicago Street Race was confusing yet captivating to all. SVG says he’s been doing this his whole life, so it’s something he can never change. However, for oval success, he’s aware he has to tweak his style, and slowly but surely, he’s climbing his way up those tracks too.

As things stand, Harvick sees no one matching SVG’s consistency of technical control. It is just a matter of time to see how he dominates Sonoma in the upcoming weekend. Do you think SVG can go back-to-back this Sunday? Let us know in the comments!