This is definitely not how the New Zealander expected his day to begin. Fresh off his O’Reilly Auto Parts win yesterday, Shane van Gisbergen aims to create history by tying Jeff Gordon’s 6 road-course victories. That record, however, might have to wait, as SVG wasted no time making noise at the Circuit of the Americas. After rolling off P13, the Trackhouse Racing driver sliced his way forward and just cleared Michael McDowell by lap nine, capping off an aggressive opening stint.

The early laps were chaotic, with three-wide battles at the green, strategy gambles brewing before the stage break, and front-runners shuffling positions, but SVG looked firmly in the mix. Even as Ryan Blaney powered to the lead and the field began to string out, the Kiwi kept himself planted inside the top five with clinical precision. Yet despite the blistering charge, the in-car radio told a different story.

“It feels pretty sh**, but everyone looks sh**, so we’ll kind of go where we go. I’m starting to build a little tight now,” SVG vented mid-run. Frustration was less about track position and more about balance.

As the green flag pit cycles loomed and tire wear became a factor, the Trackhouse Racing driver began to feel the car tightening up, a dangerous trend on COTA’s technical layout where rhythm through the esses and braking stability into heavy zones are everything.

The strategy chess match only intensified from there. Ross Chastain briefly controlled the stage after leaders pitted, while the recent COTA winner cycled forward again amid varying pit calls.

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With 21 drivers gambling by staying out under the green earlier in the run, the order was anything but straightforward. Even so, the 36-year-old’s blunt assessment over the radio underscored a veteran’s mindset: fast, forward-moving, but never satisfied.

But as the race goes, Lady Luck can tip into anyone’s favor, and if SVG keeps his race clean, it might as well be him. But after a splendid start to the COTA weekend, the Kiwi remains skeptical about a few things.

SVG gets real about Truck Series after COTA win

Shane van Gisbergen has built a reputation as one of the most clinical road course racers in the field. And on Saturday, the Auckland driver captured his first victory of the 2025 season, taking the checkered flag in the O’Reilly Series. The only competitor able to match his pace was Cup Series rookie Connor Zilisch.

However, the 19-year-old charge unraveled late after contact with Corey Day ended his shot at contention. While SVG celebrated in Victory Lane, he now boasts 11 combined wins across NASCAR’s top divisions, further cementing his reputation in American stock car racing.

The former supercar champion has also addressed speculation about a potential return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, keeping the door open while remaining focused on his current campaign.

“I would love to drive one of those trucks,” Shane van Gisbergen said. “I think maybe it’s Watkins (Glen) or something later in the year is free, so I’m trying. But it’s hard to do. Everything costs money, I guess. But yeah, love to do more Truck starts.”

So far, SVG has made only one truck series start in his NASCAR career, coming shortly after his stunning Cup Series debut win at the Chicago Street course in 2023. He currently pilots the No. 97 Chevrolet Camaro and sits 16th in the Cup Series standings with one top-10 finish to his name. Now, whether a truck series campaign is produced out of this is yet to be seen.