Shane van Gisbergen’s rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series has been a tale of two disciplines: stellar dominance on road and street courses and a steep learning curve on traditional ovals. Transitioning from supercars, SVG has quickly become one of the most formidable road racers in the Cup Series.

However, adapting to oval racing has proven difficult with frequent accidents, qualifying challenges, and finishes that haven’t matched his road success. Despite the struggles, the need for adaptation, and limited experience on oval layouts, SVG has shown growth. And now, feeling much more confident in them, he has opened up about his skills on ovals.

“It was going to get better,” SVG sounds off on his oval struggles amid road course glory

With four Cup Series wins in 34 starts, SVG now ranks among the elite, tying with legends like Darrell Waltrip and Martin Truex Jr. and closing in on Jeff Gordon’s nine-win record. His performance on road circuits is unmatched statistically, as he has both the highest winning percentage, 33.3% and average driver rating, 113.8, on road courses since ratings were tracked in 2005. He made NASCAR history by sweeping both the Xfinity and Cup races at the Chicago Street course, winning from the pole in both events, an impressive feat only previously accomplished by Kyle Busch.

At Sonoma Raceway, SVG grabbed the pole and converted it into yet another cup of victory, surviving multiple final lap restarts with poise. This win was not only his third road course triumph of the season but also the fastest any driver has reached four wins since 1967. His prowess stems from deep instincts and experience cultivated in the brutal V8 supercar series.

In contrast, his oval campaign has been rocky. He has frequently been caught in accidents not of his making; despite showing speed at times, results haven’t materialized. One of them is his run at COTA this year. He noted, “COTA was a good day, but on the ovals we’ve really struggled… It’s really tough results-wise wise but I see a lot of potential and speed. It has been hard because I’m not really known for crashing too much and not finishing… just have to stay out of trouble and get through it.”

And with better understanding and clarity, SVG has finally dropped his views on oval racing. He said, “And so I’m just trying to benchmark to him and Daniel. And yeah, but I feel like as a team we’ve gotten better and like my average running position is now, you know, inside the top 20 or my pace is in the 20s now. So, it’s been a huge gain on the ovals and only getting better, too.”

He added, “It’s kind of everything. Like the first 10 races were pretty difficult, but we knew it would be growing pains, but like and I knew it would be very difficult season, but like we were in the 30s genuinely and it was, it was a bit not of a shock, but it was like we got a lot to do and then the metric starts to bury you. You start to go qualify, bad pit selection. You’re stuck there. And but you could feel that there was potential, and I knew I was still driving a lot within myself, you know, not taking too many risks, and it was going to get better.”

Plate tracks in traditional ovals like Daytona, Las Vegas, and Martinsville have exposed areas needing work, especially in traffic management and clean restarts. However, SVG’s recent Brickyard 400 run tells a different story. He salvaged a 19th-place finish, his fifth Top 20 result on ovals this season, despite battling vibration issues and what he believed was underpowered engine performance.

The Trackhouse Racing racer said, “And then yeah, as a team like there some weeks I felt like I drove pretty well and I was still 30th, but Ross was 31st or 29th, you know, we were well Ross and Daniel, we would struggle as a team, you know, so I felt like we were getting there. And then as our team’s getting better, we’re learning a bit more on our oval cars, getting better. I’m kind of creeping up there with it. And yeah, Ross would get he’s got this amazing ability on restarts and his positioning to get a top 10 result out of with a 25th place. He’s exceptional. “

Iowa was another story; SVG was spun early and again midway through the race, ultimately finishing 31st. Despite recovering well and running inside the top 20 between incidents, the double spins derailed his day. Moreover, Ross Chastain continues to shine on ovals; he captured the iconic Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in a stunning late-race charge, demonstrating his adaptability and tenacity on high-speed tracks. Meanwhile, Daniel Suarez has shown flashes of strong performance, finishing runner-up at Las Vegas recently after a couple of rough weekends.

Ross Chastain’s Brickyard 400 race unraveled early. After a tough qualifying, he started 33rd and was involved in a hard crash by lap 17 when contact with Michael McDowell sent him into the wall. Despite the damage, he used the air track to continue briefly, though his race was effectively over as he finished 39th. But the watermelon man fed better in Iowa. He showed a competitive pace and finished 12th in the Cup Series race, well ahead of his Brickyard result. And now SVG seems to find his rhythm as the Cup Series heads to yet another road course, too. 

SVG gives credit to his Legends racing run, which enhances his oval performance

Shane Van Gisbergen, celebrated for his success in Australian Supercars, is continuing to adapt to the NASCAR Cup Series by embracing conventional learning methods, most recently through Legends car racing. His involvement in the 2025 Cook Out Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway marks a crucial step in sharpening his NASCAR skill set, providing hands-on experience and insight into high-intensity oval racing.

Appearing on the Stacking Pennies podcast with Corey LaJoie, van Gisbergen recounted how his Legends car began with a nudge from 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace. Alongside Wallace and fellow driver Scott McLaughlin, SVG took to the track against a hungry field of young racers. Their competitive spirit carried off track as well, where friendly bets, like the last-place picking up the dinner tab, added to the camaraderie.

Reflecting on the demanding competition and the unpredictable starts in Legends racing, van Gisbergen shared one of the essential takeaways from the series. He said, “You learn a lot. So, you have to choose yourself. The restarts are crazy. The restarts are just like Martinsville. You know, if you choose the outside, you can gain a row, but you have to get down as quick as you can … And then also keep in your head, like if someone hits you, you can’t just snap and get angry at that guy. You’ve got to kind of get your momentum going. It’s been fun learning that.”

Competing alongside determined teenagers, some chasing him down mid-race, offered SVG a unique test of composure and adaptability. Unlike the high-stakes environment of the Cup Series, Legends racing provided a space to develop new strategies for staying calm under pressure and recovering from setbacks. The Summer Shootout concluded on July 29, with the Kiwi demonstrating his growing command of American ovals. He qualified third in the Pro-Legends A-feature, lining up behind Jake Bollman and Tyler Reid. In a thrilling 25-lap showdown, SVG edged out the runner-up by just 0.417 seconds to claim his first oval victory in the U.S., a major milestone in his NASCAR journey and a testament to his evolving race craft.