During the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, Shane van Gisbergen demonstrated remarkable talent with four road course victories, entering the playoffs with a strong 22 bonus points. However, his Shane van Gisbergen Playoffs Hope faces a serious challenge as he finds himself outside the cutline before the Bristol night race, following difficulties in the first two R-16 oval events.
Trackhouse Racing struggled to provide competitive cars for oval races, a factor compounded by van Gisbergen’s limited experience on these tracks. Unlike his teammate Ross Chastain, he was unable to compensate for the car’s shortcomings. Despite these setbacks, van Gisbergen expressed optimism about the team’s progress amid the challenges.
“I think it’s been awesome, yeah. To win the races we have, and show the improvement we have the past few months because we started well below average and steadily progressed, yeah…. We’re proud of that. We didn’t expect to set the world on fire on ovals but we’ve done a good job the last little while of getting me faster and better.”
—Shane van Gisbergen, Driver
Reflections on Progress and the Struggles with Oval Racing
Van Gisbergen acknowledged the growth they have achieved during the season despite slow beginnings on ovals. His focus remains on continuous improvement, especially given the stark contrast between his strong road course performances and less competitive oval results. The No. 88 Chevy team remains resolute, determined to maximize their efforts as they approach critical races.
“It’s going to be an uphill battle for sure. Yeah. I feel real positive about it and more positive than the first couple of months. We certainly haven’t given up on getting through and we’re going to have a proper crack at it.”
—Shane van Gisbergen, Driver
Admission of Errors in Recent Playoff Races
Ahead of the Bristol race weekend, van Gisbergen openly took responsibility for mistakes that hampered his playoff standing. He pointed out that missed opportunities and personal errors in recent races have left him in a difficult position, though he remains ready to reset and give his best effort moving forward.
“I didn’t, uh, didn’t do very well last week. I had potential to do well, but yeah, I made a couple of errors myself and just put ourself in bad spots, you know, and made a mistake when we should have got stage points and we didn’t. So, uh, last week only myself to blame. So, beat myself up for a couple days and reset; try again tomorrow.”
—Shane van Gisbergen, Driver
Trackhouse Racing Crew Chief Expresses Confidence in van Gisbergen’s Oval Progress
Stephan Dooran, crew chief for Trackhouse Racing, emphasized the ongoing improvements in the team’s oval program, highlighting van Gisbergen’s better performances despite some misfortune. He referenced recent races where the driver overcame setbacks to climb positions before incidents beyond their control derailed the results.
“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.”
—Stephan Dooran, Crew Chief
Dooran’s remarks underline the team’s belief that while Shane van Gisbergen’s early oval struggles have been frustrating, progress is evident. If van Gisbergen can avoid errors and unlucky incidents, his chances of advancing in the playoffs remain promising.
What Lies Ahead for Shane van Gisbergen in the Playoffs
Saturday night’s race at Bristol presents a critical opportunity for van Gisbergen to regain ground in the playoffs. Success on the oval track would not only boost his position but also set him up well for the R-12 ROVAL race, a venue where his road course skills should give him an advantage. Maintaining momentum in these upcoming events will be vital to transitioning from the R-16 to later playoff rounds.
Despite evident struggles on ovals, Shane van Gisbergen’s early season successes and the commitment of Trackhouse Racing suggest a resilient campaign. Their progress, reflected in consistent improvements and van Gisbergen’s positive outlook, could prove decisive as the playoffs intensify and the stakes rise.
