Shane van Gisbergen has dominated the NASCAR Cup Series on road courses this season, securing three wins and a strong position in the playoffs. However, his performance on oval tracks has raised concerns about his ability to contend for the championship in 2025. This tension became clear following his recent race at Dover, where an early tire puncture and mechanical setbacks left van Gisbergen unable to compete effectively.
At Dover, the New Zealand driver began the race within the top ten, showing early promise. Unfortunately, the flat right-front tire forced an unscheduled pit stop, which put him multiple laps behind and dashed any opportunity to test his pace on the oval. This setback highlighted continuing struggles for van Gisbergen on tracks that differ vastly from the road courses where he excels.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Critiques Trackhouse Racing’s Oval Performance
Dale Earnhardt Jr., a NASCAR Hall of Famer, expressed clear frustration with Trackhouse Racing’s preparation and support for van Gisbergen at Dover. On his podcast, The Dale Jr. Download, Earnhardt Jr. pointed out that even before the tire issue, the team’s overall speed was lacking, ranking just 31st in speed metrics. He emphasized that the team must improve the car’s performance significantly to give van Gisbergen a fighting chance on ovals.
“We’re coming out of the road courses, where there was a ton of SVG talk. We’re now back to the ovals, where SVG told us last week he was looking forward to going to Dover. He goes out there, flat right-front tire right away. Ruined any opportunity for him to truly gauge himself against the competition at the ovals, and try to carry forward that learning curve,”
Earnhardt Jr. stated.
Looking at his speed metrics in the NASCAR Insights, he was 31st overall on speed. … I feel like that he’s probably wishing or hoping that it might have been a little bit of a better weekend, in terms of just overall pace. I think that the Trackhouse stuff just wasn’t very good this weekend.”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR Hall of Famer
Earnhardt Jr. further warned that if van Gisbergen, despite his 17 or more playoff points, were to be eliminated in the opening Round of 16, it would be an unprecedented outcome in the series. Because van Gisbergen is not yet among the top oval racers, the pressure is mounting on Trackhouse Racing to deliver cars that can support his skill set and enable him to improve results on these tracks.
“They’re going to have to improve their cars a lot to give SVG a chance. What I’m worried about is, how loud is the noise going to be if he goes in and misses and gets eliminated in the Round of 16 with 17 or more playoff points? That would be pretty unprecedented, I believe, to be eliminated in the first round with that bit of an advantage. I would be frantically trying to put myself in a position, at least trying to have a fighting chance of moving beyond the first round. I think, even by the end of this year, he’s still not going to be one of the best oval racers in the series If that’s the case, Trackhouse has to have very, very good race cars to help him. He can’t wheel a P15 car into a P10 finish.”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR Hall of Famer
Team Efforts Must Align with Driver Improvement on Ovals
Earnhardt Jr. made it clear that while van Gisbergen must work to enhance his oval racing ability, Trackhouse Racing also plays a critical role in this development. The car’s setup and competitiveness are equally vital if SVG hopes to advance deeply in the playoffs. Earnhardt Jr. stated,
“I think Trackhouse has to work a little bit to try to help SVG over these next couple of weeks. Kind of dial it in a little bit. He’s got to improve, but the car’s got to get better too, man.”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR Hall of Famer
Earnhardt Jr.’s remarks suggest that the driver’s current struggles on ovals cannot be attributed solely to his skill, but rather a combination of factors involving the team and equipment. There is cautious optimism surrounding the upcoming race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where van Gisbergen previously finished fourth in an Xfinity Series event last season, suggesting a potential for better results if the team addresses their current deficiencies.
Outlook for Shane van Gisbergen and Trackhouse Racing
As the summer progresses, Shane van Gisbergen’s ability to adapt to oval tracks will be critical for his playoff survival and championship aspirations. The Trackhouse Racing organization faces mounting pressure to provide a car capable of competing with the series‘ top oval racers. Failure to do so may cost van Gisbergen a chance to compete past the early playoff rounds, regardless of his points advantage.
Van Gisbergen’s road course dominance has set high expectations, but his struggles on ovals expose vulnerabilities that must be addressed promptly. The coming races will be a test of both the driver’s adaptability and the team’s capacity to respond effectively to these challenges.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Why did Shane van Gisbergen quit Supercars?
A. Van Gisbergen permanently left Supercars after an impressive NASCAR Cup Series debut with Trackhouse Racing, where he triumphed in Chicago. When asked about leaving Supercars, van Gisbergen explained that he didn’t enjoy racing there. He specifically mentioned that he disliked the Gen3 Camaro vehicle.
Q. How much does Shane van Gisbergen earn?
A. Base Salary: Van Gisbergen earns about $1 million annually. Bonuses: He can get extra money for winning races and championships. Endorsements: He has deals with big companies like Red Bull, Holden, and Vodafone.
Q. Why did Shane van Gisbergen leave Supercars?
A. Looking back on his departure from Supercars, van Gisbergen explained that he no longer enjoyed the races. He expressed strong dislike for the Gen3 Camaro, calling it a boring car. He mentioned you had to drive it gently because pushing it too hard made it perform worse.
