Shane van Gisbergen, who pilots the No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet as well as the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, is set to compete in both the NASCAR Cup Series and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Circuit of The Americas (COTA). Ahead of the events, he spoke with the media, sharing his thoughts on the challenge and his ambition to make history at the Texas road course in the NASCAR world.
Chasing a Road Course Winning Streak and Tying NASCAR Records
Van Gisbergen is aware that a victory this week could put him on par with Jeff Gordon for the most consecutive road course wins in NASCAR history. He acknowledged the significance of such an accomplishment, noting the evolving nature of the sport and his desire to build on last year’s strong performance.
“Yeah, first, afternoon, everyone. Yeah, it’d be pretty cool. Kevin Harvick, I did an interview with him the other day, and he brought that up, so it’d be cool to do that. Very different time with a lot more races per year, but I guess as a crew, last year we had an amazing year and it’d be awesome to carry that on this year.” – Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
The Unique Challenges Presented by Circuit of The Americas
Despite his success on other road courses last season, van Gisbergen has yet to secure a win at COTA. He described the track as both difficult and straightforward, emphasizing how tight the competition is and how small margins separate drivers. Early season mistakes and a relatively new team dynamic last year are factors he hopes to overcome this season.
“Yeah, it’s a tough track, and I think it’s also an easy track. You see the gaps between cars are a lot closer, so it’s more down to executing, not making mistakes and qualifying well. I think you don’t see a big field spread like other tracks, talent-wise. And last year, COTA was only the third or fourth race again, too. So yeah, very new crew within Trackhouse. I made some mistakes. We weren’t quite there yet as a team early in the year, so hopefully that compounds and we’re a bit stronger this year.” – Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Impact of Points-Based Chase Format on Race Strategy
Van Gisbergen highlighted how the switch to a Chase system that rewards points accumulation rather than a “win and you’re in” format will influence tactics, especially on road courses like COTA. He expects drivers to carefully consider when to pit, balancing the chase for stage points versus positioning for a race victory.
“Yeah, it’ll definitely change that dynamic. And especially on this track, you have a short amount of time really that you have to be close to the leader to have that extra lap to decide if you’re going to pit or not, so hopefully you’re in the lead or close and you can decide. But it’s definitely going to change, I think, how many people flip stages. You know, the points are so important this year, and it might even change us. If we’re not the dominant car, you might sacrifice the stage to get the points. Yeah, it’s all about points accumulation for us this year.” – Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Lighthearted Moments Outside NASCAR: The Lawn Mower Jump
Van Gisbergen shared a playful anecdote about participating in a competition in New Zealand with ‘Mad‘ Mike Whiddett and Liam Lawson, during which he attempted to jump a lawn mower. He described the experience as fun but not one he would recommend, giving insight into his lighter side beyond competitive racing.
“On a lawnmower? Yeah, and I wouldn’t recommend that (laughs). But it was a lot of fun playing around with those guys. At Red Bull, we do some pretty cool stuff. It was awesome.” – Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Opening Up in a New Documentary and Balancing Privacy
Known for being somewhat private, van Gisbergen revealed his thoughts on participating in an upcoming documentary that offers a glimpse into his personal life and family relationships. While he enjoys sharing aspects of his racing career, he values privacy and the ability to disconnect when at home.
“Yeah, I don’t really like doing it, I guess. In this day and age, people have so much access to you. I love people knowing more about my racing life, but I love going away, going home and no one knowing what I do, as well, is kind of cool. There’s still some things you like to keep private, but it was cool to show off our cars, I guess; my relationship with Dad and how much fun we still have hanging out. Yeah, I think he talked a lot about mom and stuff, so yeah, it was pretty cool…. (inaudible).”
– Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
The Desire to Capture a Victory at COTA
Van Gisbergen expressed a strong motivation to win at Circuit of The Americas, the only road course where he had not dominated last year. He appreciates the track’s distinctive characteristics and admits that while he has consistently been competitive, putting together a full race-winning performance has eluded him so far.
“Yeah, I do like the track. I love coming here. The weather’s a bit nicer than where we’re living. But yeah, it’s an odd track with how much grip is off the track. You know, you see everyone blowing the corners to try and get the grip off the track. It’s very different the way you drive. The restart zone is pretty chaotic into turn one… how wide it is, you know, it’s crazy. But yeah, we just have to hopefully have two good races and try and get some results. But yeah, I like the place, I just haven’t managed to put a whole race together. I think every race I’ve done here in NASCAR, I’ve been reasonably quick, but for one reason or another, I haven’t managed to get it done.”
– Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Experiences and Enjoyment of Austin Beyond the Track
Though his schedule is often demanding and leaves little time for exploration, van Gisbergen has fond memories of Austin, Texas. He recalls enjoying local barbecue and hot rod shops during a previous visit for a V8 Supercars race. This time, he plans to attend the Trackhouse Live event as part of his stay.
“Yeah, we’re going to Trackhouse Live tonight in town to have a look. I remember when I was here for the V8 Supercars race, I stayed an extra few days and went to some barbecue places and some hot rod shops. It was cool. But yeah, nowadays, we’re kind of in and out. It’s hard to look around, but I don’t mind this place.” – Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Preferences and Adjustments to the Updated Track Layout
Van Gisbergen compared the shortened version of the COTA layout to the full course, highlighting the advantages of the shorter track, such as more laps and better passing opportunities. He believes the reconfiguration has enhanced the racing experience without sacrificing the technical aspects that challenge drivers.
“I like the short track, yeah. The long track was great, too. But I think doing more laps, you get more chances to pass the crowd and better passing opportunities, too. It’s a lot more technical, I think, the sections that they’ve done. We haven’t really missed much by doing a shorter track, so I think it was a good thing. I think it was a good thing they listened and did the next cut through rather than the one we did in Supercars. It made for some pretty good racing and good passing last year.” – Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Competitiveness of the Field and Anticipated Rivalries
Looking ahead, van Gisbergen anticipates fierce competition in the upcoming NASCAR races, particularly highlighting a potential head-to-head with Connor Zilisch, who shares similar equipment. He also noted other top contenders like Tyler Reddick, a past winner at COTA, emphasizing how the close field and preparation influence the outcome.
“Yeah, I think on road course weekends, I find there’s probably six to eight guys that you see consistently up there and guys that are really highly good to race. You just don’t know in NASCAR. Everything’s so close. It’s who nails it on the weekend with preparation. And, yeah, there’s always some good drivers up front. And with Connor (Zilisch), it’s exciting, too. Pretty cool talent coming into this level now and obviously in the same equipment as me, too, so it’s going to be good. And as Justin (Marks) said in the meeting we had earlier in the week, we’re in a pretty cool position as a team. It’s special. We’ve got to take advantage of it and make sure we get it right and one of us needs to win, which would be cool.”
– Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Adapting to the New 750-Horsepower Package
Van Gisbergen discussed the new 750-horsepower engine package that NASCAR has introduced, likening it in some ways to the power levels experienced in the Supercar series. He noted that while at smaller tracks the power is less noticeable, conditions like heat and slick tires will make managing the power and rear tire wear more critical.
“No, the Supercar had less, actually. They had 640, 650. But, yeah, I haven’t really noticed it so far. At Bowman Gray, you couldn’t really use the power, I guess. But, yeah, with tomorrow being hot and slick, you’ll probably notice the power then and certainly fight for rear tire life. But, yeah, I don’t know. I haven’t really noticed it so far.” – Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Looking Ahead to Impact and Potential History at COTA
Shane van Gisbergen’s efforts at Circuit of The Americas hold significant weight as he aims to match Jeff Gordon’s record for consecutive road course wins, an achievement that would further establish his place among NASCAR’s elite. With a proven track record, growing experience at COTA, and a strong team supporting him, van Gisbergen’s performance this weekend could set the tone for the season and inspire new racing strategies, especially in adapting to NASCAR’s evolving competition formats and car packages.
