Shane van Gisbergen’s NASCAR playoff run ended prematurely after the Round of 16, following a difficult series of races at Bristol Motor Speedway in the 2024 season. Despite winning four races in his rookie NASCAR Cup Series season and showing promise with Trackhouse Racing, his playoff journey fell short due to challenges on the oval tracks and unexpected tire issues.
Struggles at Bristol and the Playoff Cutoff
Bristol Motor Speedway proved to be a harsh test for van Gisbergen. Although his performance on oval tracks has improved throughout the season, bad luck and tire problems affected his results in the three playoff races leading up to the round cutoff. The highest finish the No. 1 team managed during this period was 25th place at Gateway, which was not enough to advance to the Round of 12. The team had aimed for a strong showing at the Charlotte Roval, a track van Gisbergen thought gave him a genuine opportunity to progress, but severe tire wear blindsided the crew and disrupted their race strategies.
Reflecting on the race, van Gisbergen acknowledged the race’s chaotic nature, saying,
“Yeah, we just put ourselves in a bad spot early to capitalize on it, but yeah, you expect that carnage at the end,”
—Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Driver. He added,
“People were doing nuts, desperate things, but yeah, unfortunately, I lost too much time early in the race.”
—Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Driver.
Adapting to New Challenges on Tires
As a three-time Supercars champion, van Gisbergen is familiar with managing tire wear, but he admitted that the tires at Bristol were unlike any he had experienced before. The degree of degradation forced him to adjust on the fly, but he struggled to preserve his tires as effectively as he had in his previous series. The rapid tire wear played a significant role in his inability to capitalize on race opportunities and ultimately hindered his playoff advancement chances.
Van Gisbergen described the difficulty of managing the conditions amid intense pressure, stating,
“It was pretty crazy, you would be feeling like you were good and then all of a sudden, you’d feel the cords starting to show up, and then you knew you only had three laps before you had to pit,”
—Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Driver. He repeated the sentiment, emphasizing, “It was pretty crazy.”
Van Gisbergen’s Outlook After Playoff Elimination
Despite the setback, van Gisbergen remained positive and focused on future growth. He recognized that the first playoff round, especially at tracks like Bristol, presented a steep challenge for a rookie in the NASCAR Cup Series. He expressed pride in his team’s accomplishments this season and acknowledged the areas where he needs further improvement, particularly on oval tracks.
Van Gisbergen stated,
“Yeah, I knew it was going to be a long shot today, but I’m still proud of what we’ve achieved this year,”
—Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Driver. He continued,
“It’s been a privilege to be in the playoffs, and everyone knew the first round was going to be difficult. I just didn’t do a good enough job. So, I need to keep getting better at the ovals, and you know, the road courses will keep working, but yeah, I need to keep on improving at this stuff.”
—Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Driver.
His rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series highlighted both his potential and the steep learning curve that comes with competing at this level. Van Gisbergen’s experience reflects the complexities of adapting to a new racing format and the unpredictability of playoff competition. Moving forward, his focus will be on refining his oval racing skills and building on the successes he has already achieved.
