Shane Van Gisbergen, who drives the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, appeared before the media ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying sessions at Richmond Raceway. Van Gisbergen shared insights into his preparation for the event, reflecting on his adaptation to NASCAR racing and his aspirations for the playoffs.
Enhanced Comfort and Consistency in the Cup Car Over the Season
When reflecting on his comfort level in the Cup car compared to last year, Van Gisbergen noted significant improvement.
“Yeah, a lot higher. It’s been good; building up throughout the year and getting better and better. Certainly, we’d go like a month between races last year, so just really driving one car mainly as a focus, and same thing every week – same crew and same people – makes a huge difference, that’s for sure,”
he said. Van Gisbergen attributed this progress to more consistent race participation and working closely with a stable team.
Focused Race Week Preparation: Prioritizing Video Study Over Simulator Time
Van Gisbergen detailed his routine leading up to a race weekend, emphasizing the importance of video analysis rather than simulator use.
“Yeah, a lot of video study, mainly. I try and study as many drivers as I can. Yesterday, I had the race on; watched last year’s practice, qualifying and race, and then had SMT up at the same time. That’s probably what I get more out of. I find myself sort of doing less and less sim and more video stuff. I find that sort of helping me more these days,”
he explained, highlighting how observing other drivers informs his approach.
Appreciation for Support from Fans in Australia and New Zealand
Van Gisbergen expressed gratitude for the ongoing encouragement he receives from his fans in Australia and New Zealand.
“Yeah, it’s very humbling how many people have followed me over here and tune in every Monday morning and watch the races. It’ll be Sunday this weekend, so they’ll probably enjoy that a bit better. Yeah, it’s been really cool having the support. Even when it’s a bad weekend for me, I still get a lot of comments and support. So, yeah, it’s really nice,”
he said, acknowledging the meaningful connection with his long-time followers.
Balancing Playoff Point Pursuit with Caution at Richmond
As the playoffs approach, Van Gisbergen discussed how he manages the risk involved in pursuing additional playoff points. He stated,
“Yeah, well, certainly on the ovals, it’s harder for us at the moment to get the playoff points, that’s for sure. But we’re definitely working at it and I feel like every week we’re making steps and getting better. The result at Iowa wasn’t great, but I was a lot more competitive and racing really well. Even after we had our spin, we still got into a good position before getting wrecked. So there’s lots of positives coming, and, yeah, I think we’re getting better. I feel like we are, so who knows? We can hopefully start getting further up, but, yeah, certainly not where we expected or probably where everyone thought we would be on the playoff point leaderboard, so nice way to surprise people, I guess.”
Positive Team Atmosphere Amid Continued Growth
Van Gisbergen reflected on the atmosphere within the team during recent months, linking it to their ongoing improvement.
“Yeah, winning certainly helps, but I felt like I was really happy at the start of the year, but it’s hard to look happy, I guess, when you’re finishing 30th every week. But I felt like there was a lot of positives early in the year, and we’re just building and grinding. This series is a grind, especially when it’s not going well. You know, every week you’re working hard with your guys and girls to get better. So, yeah, I felt like I was still pretty happy in March, April, May before, but yeah, certainly I feel like everyone’s pretty stoked and riding on a high — not just the 88 crew, but the whole team. It’s really cool at the shop at the moment with how stoked everyone is, and I feel like we got some good momentum as a team, and we’re getting better and better with every week. So it’s really cool to be a part of it.”
Reflecting on Team Success with Multiple Cars in Top-10 Finishes
Van Gisbergen described the excitement following a weekend when all three Trackhouse Racing cars finished in the top-10. He recalled,
“Yeah, normally Kap (Houston) rides around on his bike when we get a top-10 handing out ice cream to everyone, so I was wondering what we’re going to do when all three cars got in the top-10. But yeah, it was pretty cool. You know, that’s a pretty special moment for the team. It’s not easy to run up front, so to have all three cars in the top-10 and genuinely be competitive, it was a really cool step.”
Learning Oval Racing Techniques by Studying Experienced Competitors
Van Gisbergen explained his approach to understanding oval racing dynamics, particularly at tracks he has never raced before in a Cup car.
“Yeah, good question. It’s just time for me, and even this week, like I’ve never been around this track in a Cup car. You see the fall-off in practice; it’s very tough to get up to speed straight away, so this week, I’ve kind of been studying Denny(Hamlin) and Ross (Chastain) the most. Ross’s car’s probably most similar to how mine’s going to be, so trying to just see what they were doing with gears. You can change gear a lot here, and it changes the car balance quite a lot. I just try and study those two guys.”
He added that different tracks bring out different standout drivers to emulate and that adapting by feel is important.
“You know, different tracks might be different people, who stands out, and just try and emulate what they’re doing, I guess. But for me, it’s just time. You know, I don’t know what it’s like when I’m out there, and no one knows what the patches are going to feel like at Turn One. Just try and do things by feel, I guess, too.”
Progress and Challenges on Short Tracks
Although Van Gisbergen feels most confident on short tracks, results have not fully matched his comfort level.
“Yeah, the short tracks, I feel sort of most competitive and feel most comfortable, I guess, to push, but the results haven’t shown that. I feel like my lap times and speed are good in sections of the race, I’ve just got to put it all together, and hopefully that starts to happen soon. But the short tracks, I feel like there’s a bit more driver manipulation you can do with the gear changes, the braking and how to phase sort of the tire wear. You can have a big influence on that, it seems.”
He reflected on last year’s strong showing at Martinsville but acknowledged that most short-track outings have been difficult.
“I did have a really good race at Martinville last year, but otherwise, the short tracks have been a disaster, so I’ve just got to put it together, I think.”
Personal Satisfaction and Passion Throughout the Season
Regarding his overall experience in the 2023 season, Van Gisbergen described his enjoyment of the process regardless of outcomes.
“Just how much we’ve enjoyed it. Every race weekend, even if it’s good or bad, I enjoy going into the shop on Monday and doing the meetings. It’s going to work every day, but it doesn’t really feel like a job. I’m loving every minute of it,”
he shared, emphasizing the positive mindset that drives him.
Managing Pit Road Challenges and Penalties at Richmond
Van Gisbergen highlighted the difficult balance between speed and control on pit road at Richmond Raceway.
“Yeah, it’s difficult here, especially with the two different speeds. You’re trying to be fast on the corners and maximize. I started the year bad with trying to push that. I think I had a stupid amount of penalties, and knock on wood, I haven’t had one for a while. I’ve been behaving and conservative on my speed. That’s another part of NASCAR that’s tough — every other series I’ve been in, you press a button and hold your foot flat and it does it itself. But it’s free lap time here, especially on a high fall-off track — you’re touring through the pits quite a lot under green, so it’s worth a lot of time and that’s where these guys are good, getting in and out of pit road without getting it wrong.”
Supercars Experience Influences NASCAR Adaptation and Mentorship
Van Gisbergen credited his Supercars background for helping with road course racing in NASCAR, while also acknowledging key mentorship.
“Marcus Ambrose is probably the guy lent on the most for just pure racing stuff out of Supercars land, I guess. Scotty was more, sort of, general living and how it is in America. But yeah, Marcus was a huge help, and if I do still need stuff this year, he’s been there for me, as well,”
he said, referring to fellow former Supercars drivers Marcus Ambrose and Scott McLaughlin.
Biggest Improvement Area: Understanding and Communicating Car Setup on Ovals
Van Gisbergen described his main focus for development this season as learning to read and communicate the car’s behavior on oval tracks.
“On ovals, it’s just general speed. It’s just taking time learning what I need from the car and understanding the car. When we go to a road course, I can tell exactly what area the car needs speed; which part to try and focus on. On an oval, I don’t fully know yet. I can describe what the car’s doing, but I don’t have that notebook of myself, whether it’s too stiff in springs, roll bars or cross weight. I don’t know what to ask for yet. Just trying to learn every week; trying to see what the setup is and what’s different to every other week. Just trying to help my crew point the car in the right direction, whereas on a road course this year, we’ve kind of trended one way on setup, and I feel like as a team and driver combination, it’s been really good and shown it’s made us better.”
Expectations for Intense Racing as Playoffs Approach
Looking ahead to the final races before the playoff field is finalized, Van Gisbergen anticipated high-pressure competition.
“Yeah, for sure. I watched the race here last year and I can’t believe the lengths people go through to get in. It’s a desperate situation, and it means so much to get in the playoffs, so I’m certainly glad we’re not involved in it, and hopefully won’t be involved in it. But yeah, I think that’s an awesome part of this sport. It creates those storylines and that desperation to win when someone’s in that position. There’s a lot of people in the bubble and a lot of people needing a win, and hopefully that creates some good but safe racing for the next couple of weeks.”
Adapting to Diverse Driving Styles Through Data Review
Van Gisbergen shared how studying unique driving data helps him develop his own style in NASCAR‘s oval racing environment.
“Yeah, it’s just amazing when there’s different styles, right? His style’s very unique, the way he’s mainly using a different gear and stabbing at the throttle, and it’s just techniques I’ve never come across or needed to use before. But in NASCAR, there’s so many different ways to get the car around the track fast, and I’m trying to be as open-minded as possible in changing my style, especially for a track I’ve never been to before. I probably won’t try it today in practice, but if it gets stalled out in the race or in a moment where I’ve got time to try stuff, I’ll experiment a bit. All these top guys have such subtle little differences in the way they drive, and it’s really interesting trying to pick things up because I’m sort of like a clean sheet of paper with oval driving, so trying to find a style that works for me.”
Looking Forward: Building Momentum with Richmond as a Key Test
As Shane Van Gisbergen prepares for his Richmond NASCAR Cup Series race, his focus remains on steady progression and solidifying his position within the playoff structure. Drawing from lessons learned on short tracks, mentorship from experienced former Supercars drivers, and intensive data analysis, he is determined to continue sharpening his oval racing skills. The remaining races before the playoffs promise intense competition, but Van Gisbergen hopes the Trackhouse Racing team’s momentum and cohesion will lead to further success.
