Shane van Gisbergen NASCAR playoff concerns intensified after a difficult performance at Dover, where an early tire puncture sidelined the Trackhouse Racing driver’s efforts. Despite having three wins on the season and clear dominance on road courses, van Gisbergen struggled when it came to competing on the challenging Delaware oval, raising questions about his readiness for the playoffs and champions’ rounds next year.
Strong Start Undone by Mechanical Issues
Van Gisbergen entered the Dover race with momentum, starting in the top ten amid high hopes for another strong showing. That optimism was dashed quickly when he suffered a right-front tire puncture early on, forcing a pit stop that dropped him multiple laps behind the leaders. Any opportunity to make significant progress disappeared, and he found himself unable to showcase the speed and skill that carried him through his recent road course successes.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Criticizes Trackhouse’s Support and Car Performance
NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. delivered a pointed critique of Trackhouse Racing’s role in the Dover disappointment. Reviewing the latest race insights, Earnhardt Jr. noted that van Gisbergen’s car ranked just 31st in speed metrics, far from the competitive pace expected from a championship contender. Addressing the situation on his podcast, Earnhardt Jr. emphasized the need for the team to provide improved cars and backing if they hope to avoid an early playoff exit.
“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,”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR Hall of Famer
Reflecting on van Gisbergen’s situation, Earnhardt Jr. highlighted that even with solid results on road courses and a sizeable playoff points cushion, it could be unprecedented for a driver with that kind of advantage to be eliminated in the first playoff round. He urged the team to make urgent efforts to give van Gisbergen a better chance at moving beyond the Round of 16, noting that car performance on ovals must improve significantly.
“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
Ongoing Concerns as Playoff Pressure Builds
Dale Earnhardt Jr. made it clear that responsibility for recent struggles rests with both van Gisbergen and the No. 88 Trackhouse team. The lack of speed at Dover indicates that improvements are needed on several fronts if van Gisbergen is to compete with the top racers on ovals. While his performance on road courses remains impressive, consistent speed and competitive cars are essential to go deep into the playoffs.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway presents the next challenge, a venue where van Gisbergen showed promise by finishing fourth in the Xfinity Series last season. Whether the New Zealander and the team can turn things around on ovals remains to be seen. Key figures, like Dale Earnhardt Jr., continue to monitor Trackhouse’s efforts closely as the summer unfolds and the playoff race tightens.
What the Future Holds for Trackhouse and SVG’s Campaign
Shane van Gisbergen’s path to the NASCAR championship now appears more complicated, with the upcoming playoff rounds likely demanding more speed and reliability from both driver and team. The attention on his situation—and Trackhouse’s response—remains intense. If van Gisbergen and the team can address their oval performance issues, the season may still hold promising results, but failure to do so could result in a surprising early playoff exit despite their early season success. For now, the focus is on improvement and avoiding what Dale Earnhardt Jr. sees as a potentially historic disappointment as the playoffs get closer.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Why did Shane van Gisbergen quit Supercars?
A. Van Gisbergen permanently left Supercars after an impressive debut in the NASCAR Cup Series with Trackhouse Racing, where he won in Chicago. When explaining his departure, he shared that he wasn’t enjoying the Supercars races. He specifically mentioned his dislike for the Gen3 Camaro, saying, “I hated that car.”
Q. Why did Shane van Gisbergen leave Supercars?
A. Looking back on his decision to leave Supercars, van Gisbergen mentioned he wasn’t having fun while racing. He expressed strong dislike for the Gen3 Camaro, calling it a boring and poor-quality car. He felt limited because he had to drive at 40 percent capacity, and pushing harder only made him slower or fall behind.
