Shane van Gisbergen, the driver of the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, spoke to the media ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying sessions at Richmond Raceway. He discussed his growing comfort with the Cup car, adaptation strategies for the oval track, and his approach to securing playoff points during the upcoming race weekend.
Improving Comfort and Familiarity in the Cup Car
Reflecting on his progress compared to last year, van Gisbergen expressed increased confidence in handling the Cup car. He pointed out that consistent engagement with the team and regular racing have significantly boosted his performance levels.
“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.” —Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
This continuity has helped van Gisbergen develop a better understanding of the car’s dynamics, enabling him to respond more effectively during races.
Preparation Focus Shifts Towards Video Analysis
Van Gisbergen shared that his preparation in the week leading to the Richmond race heavily involves studying video footage, especially from past races held at the track. He finds this method more beneficial than simulator work recently.
“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.” —Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
This approach helps him glean insights on racing lines, car setup, and competitors’ strategies, which is especially useful for a driver still familiarizing himself with oval tracks.
Message to Fans from Australia and New Zealand
Van Gisbergen conveyed heartfelt appreciation for the fans in Australia and New Zealand, noting their continued support throughout his NASCAR journey. Their encouragement remains a strong source of motivation.
“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.” —Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Balancing Playoff Point Strategy with Race Risks
Van Gisbergen acknowledged the challenge of securing playoff points on ovals, emphasizing steady improvement despite mixed results. He explained how maintaining a balance between aggressive competition and avoiding accidents is crucial as the playoffs approach.
“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.” —Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
This determination highlights the team‘s resilience as they work towards improving their position in the playoff standings.
High Spirits Amid Growing Momentum
The driver’s positive mood reflects recent success and internal team progress. Though early season results were difficult, the ongoing improvements have fostered enthusiasm both on and off the track.
“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.” —Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Team’s Strong Showing with Multiple Cars in the Top-10
Van Gisbergen celebrated a significant milestone for Trackhouse Racing following a race where all three cars from the team finished in the top 10, emphasizing the competitiveness and cohesion within the team.
He mentioned a lighthearted tradition where teammate Houston “Kap” rides around handing out ice cream after good finishes, pondering what might happen after such a collective success. The achievement serves as a landmark showing their progress in running competitively at the front.
Learning the Nuances of Oval Racing at Richmond
Since this is van Gisbergen’s first experience at Richmond Raceway in a Cup car, much of his effort centers on observation and adapting to the unique demands of oval racing. He studies the driving styles of top competitors like Denny Hamlin and Ross Chastain, whose car setups closely resemble his own, to understand gear usage and vehicle balance.
Van Gisbergen emphasized the importance of time and feel in mastering the track:
“…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.”
Progress and Challenges on Short Tracks
Van Gisbergen feels increasingly competitive on short tracks, such as Richmond and Iowa, where gear manipulation and tire wear management play a larger role in performance. Despite some disappointing results, his lap times demonstrate potential, and he is focused on putting all the pieces together for better finishes.
He explained how short tracks “suit” his driving style but admitted that consistently strong outcomes remain elusive, citing his positive experience at Martinsville last year as a highlight.
Reflection on 2025 Road Course Success and Enjoyment
Looking back on his season so far, which includes multiple road course victories, van Gisbergen expressed pride in the overall experience and genuine enjoyment of his work with the team.
“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.” —Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
This passion for racing reflects his commitment and positive mindset heading into new challenges.
Adapting to Richmond’s Unique Pit Road Demands
The variable speed limits on pit road at Richmond create an extra layer of complexity for drivers. Van Gisbergen commented on the initial difficulties he faced managing pit road speeds, which led to multiple penalties early in the season.
“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.” —Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Mastering this aspect is critical for maintaining competitive track position during the race.
Insights from Supercars Experience and Support Network
Van Gisbergen credits his background in Supercars for aiding his road course success and overall feel for the car. He praised fellow Australian Marcus Ambrose as a key mentor for racing guidance, while noting Scott McLaughlin’s advice centered more on adapting to life in America rather than technical racing tips.
“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.” —Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Learning Curve on Oval Setups and Speed Gains
Van Gisbergen identified steady speed improvement on oval tracks as a primary area of growth for himself and his crew. He described the learning process of understanding how to communicate car setup improvements to his team for oval racing, contrasting it with his more confident road course setup knowledge.
“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.” —Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Expectations for Intense Playoff-Bubble Racing
With only two races remaining before the playoff field is set, van Gisbergen acknowledged the high stakes and competitive tension among drivers fighting for playoff spots. He observed that the desperation to secure a spot can generate dramatic and aggressive racing, particularly on tracks like Richmond.
“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.” —Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
This dynamic adds an element of unpredictability to the closing stages of the regular season.
Studying Denny Hamlin’s Driving Techniques
In his effort to adapt to Richmond and oval racing, van Gisbergen has closely examined Denny Hamlin’s unique driving style through SMT telemetry data. He noted the distinctiveness of Hamlin’s throttle patterns and gear usage, recognizing it as a learning opportunity despite its complexity.
“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.” —Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Adapting styles and experimenting during race moments will be key as he continues gaining oval racing experience.
Outlook for Richmond and Beyond
As van Gisbergen approaches the Richmond race weekend, his mindset reflects cautious optimism grounded in steady progress. His growing familiarity with oval racing techniques, combined with the encouragement from his team and supporters from down under, position him for continued development.
The upcoming races will not only test his adaptability but also influence his playoff positioning. Trackhouse Racing’s momentum, highlighted by recent top-10 finishes, adds further confidence to their pursuit of competitive results in NASCAR‘s closing stretch of the season.