NASCAR has imposed a penalty on Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen just before a practice session at Kansas Speedway, citing unauthorized modifications to his #88 Chevrolet. This Shane van Gisbergen penalty forced the rookie driver to start the upcoming race at the back of the field and face additional sanctions, affecting his competitive position.
According to NASCAR journalist Jeff Gluck, van Gisbergen must also forfeit the choice of pit stall and carry out a stop-and-go penalty on pit road immediately after the race begins. Furthermore, his crew chief, Stephen Doran, has been ejected from the event for the entire weekend. Similar penalties were handed to Spire Motorsports’ Michael McDowell, whose crew chief, Travis Peterson, was also removed, and who faces the same restrictions including starting at the rear and performing a stop-and-go penalty after the green flag.
These penalties have notably dropped van Gisbergen from his original 24th starting position and McDowell from 21st in the 400.5-mile Kansas race, creating a challenging weekend for both drivers and their teams.
Details on Penalties and Their Impact on Van Gisbergen and McDowell
Jeff Gluck detailed the sequence of penalties issued prior to the practice session, emphasizing the severity of NASCAR’s ruling on unapproved car adjustments.
“NASCAR has just issued another update saying Shane van Gisbergen’s team has similar penalties to McDowell’s for unapproved adjustments prior to practice: — Crew chief Stephen Doran ejected — Lost pit selection — Start at the rear — Stop-and-go penalty after taking the green flag,”
Gluck reported.
Van Gisbergen’s penalty echoes the one McDowell received, as NASCAR continues to crack down on infractions ahead of races to ensure fair competition. These setbacks are particularly significant for van Gisbergen, who had appeared to be gaining momentum during the season.
Van Gisbergen’s Recent Performances and Growth on Oval Tracks
Earlier in 2025, despite some challenges, Shane van Gisbergen demonstrated promising progress on NASCAR’s oval circuits, a track format new to him compared to his previous sports car and Supercar experience. Starting well outside the top 30 at Kansas Speedway in a previous event, he managed to finish within the top 20, showcasing his growing skill. His last top-20 finish before this penalty came at Daytona International Speedway, where he placed 16th.
Shane’s crew chief, Stephen Doran, spoke openly about the team’s focused effort to improve their performance on oval tracks in an interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90. Doran described the program aimed at making van Gisbergen a more adept oval racer, emphasizing the learning curve involved given the driver’s background.
“He’s equally as good of a student on the ovals, and I think you’ve seen the progress from the beginning of the year until now. Really, I think since in the All Star race, our oval program has continued to get better. Even Iowa, we had a really good race going, gotten the fence, got the car fixed, and he drove back through the field to 16th with a kind of a dinged up race car, and then ended up getting wrecked again towards the end.”
— Stephen Doran, Crew Chief
Van Gisbergen’s efforts culminated in his first oval track win in July 2025 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, highlighting both his adaptability and the effectiveness of the team’s program. Currently ranked 15th in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings, he has achieved four victories, five top-ten finishes, four top-fives, and three pole positions throughout 30 starts this season.
Challenges Ahead After Recent NASCAR Setbacks
The penalties announced for Shane van Gisbergen and Michael McDowell have significantly complicated their respective race weekends. Starting from the back of the field with added penalties severely limits their ability to compete for top positions. Losing their crew chiefs also disrupts race strategy and communications, creating additional hurdles.
For the rookie van Gisbergen, these challenges come during a crucial period in his NASCAR career, testing the resilience of both driver and team. How he and Trackhouse Racing respond on the track will reveal whether the setbacks serve as temporary obstacles or catalysts for renewed focus and progress.
Looking forward, van Gisbergen will need to leverage his growing experience on ovals and maintain the learning momentum Stephen Doran described, while navigating the consequences of the Shane van Gisbergen penalty to stay competitive in the 2025 season.
