Shane van Gisbergen expressed concerns about his NASCAR Cup car’s performance despite his victory at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. The Kiwi driver, who recently celebrated his first win at COTA, admitted the Cup Series qualifying sessions exposed issues that could affect his performance in the upcoming race.
On Saturday, van Gisbergen raced the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports, navigating a chaotic 65-lap road course to claim victory by a margin of 0.780 seconds over Austin Hill. Though he did not start from pole position, he led the most laps in the event, totaling 31, marking his fifth career win in that series. However, his challenges surfaced in the Cup Series, where he qualified only 13th in the No. 97 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 earlier in the week, signaling possible difficulties ahead.
Van Gisbergen Details Struggles With Cup Car at COTA
Van Gisbergen openly discussed his frustration with his Cup car’s pace during qualifying and the start of the race weekend. He described his car as “pretty average” and admitted he had trouble finding speed when it was most needed.
“Not very good. My car was pretty average, really. The race run was okay, but in qualifying, start of the race run, I just couldn’t switch it on, and you need that round here to just light it up, and I couldn’t do it, so I did a rolling lap and then it still wasn’t good, and then I did my time on my third lap, and, yeah, really struggled. But there were some things that I wasn’t doing very well,” Shane van Gisbergen said.
“Some lines other people were taking, and it was working. So, yeah, that’s what I was sort of playing with in that race. So hopefully I can drive a lot better too but my car was not very strong either,” he added.
His remarks reflect a cautious mindset, emphasizing that both his driving and the car’s condition were below expected levels, a combination that may challenge his competitiveness in the Cup Series event Sunday.
Competitors and Road Course Dynamics at Circuit of The Americas
Van Gisbergen’s concerns come amid strong performances from Toyota drivers Christopher Bell and Tyler Reddick, who have consistently excelled on road courses in recent seasons. Reddick earned the pole position again at COTA, replicating his success from last year, while Bell has remained a steady front-runner during road course races.
These developments add pressure on van Gisbergen as he prepares for Sunday’s Cup Series race, where he aims to match NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon by securing six consecutive road course wins.
Assistance From Teammate Sam Mayer Played a Key Role in O’Reilly Win
Van Gisbergen’s victory in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series was aided by teamwork and savvy racing. Starting sixth on the outside of the second row, he quickly moved inside, challenging JR Motorsports teammate Sam Mayer. Mayer’s reaction created space and forced competitors wide, which ultimately benefited van Gisbergen’s advance.
“I was a bit unsure there, starting sixth on the outside. I kind of got to the inside, which was good, and nosed in on the 41 [Sam Mayer], and he reacted. When he reacted, I thought no way he’s stopping that, and he kind of pushed everyone wide, which was awesome, and it worked out for us,” Shane van Gisbergen, via NASCAR.com.
Sam Mayer led late into Stage 2, but a wide run by the Haas Factor team driver at Turn 1 opened an inside lane. Van Gisbergen seized this opportunity with five laps remaining, surging from sixth place to the race lead and clinching the win.
Looking Ahead: Challenges and Expectations at Sunday’s Cup Race
Van Gisbergen faces a critical test in the Cup Series race after his issues in qualifying raised questions about his ability to contend at the front. The contrast between his commanding performance in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and his struggles with the Cup car highlights the challenge of competing effectively in different NASCAR divisions during a demanding double-duty weekend.
How van Gisbergen adapts to his Cup car’s limitations could determine his chances of finishing strongly and continuing his pursuit of matching Jeff Gordon’s remarkable record on road courses. With strong competition already evident from experienced Toyota drivers, the race promises to be a challenging contest at the Circuit of The Americas.
Shane van Gisbergen won the OReilly race Saturday but starts 13th today. What he said about his car for the Cup race. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/sS7Tor2TZk
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 1, 2026
