Shane van Gisbergen NASCAR adaptation has captured attention yet again, as the New Zealand driver continues to make waves in the NASCAR Cup Series. At Charlotte Motor Speedway, his ongoing development, especially on oval tracks, has impressed his team owner Justin Marks, signaling a significant shift in expectations for the debutant season.
Impressive Progress on Ovals Highlighted by Trackhouse Boss
This past weekend at Charlotte, van Gisbergen once again emerged as the standout performer during NASCAR’s road course event, marking his fifth headline moment of the season. Despite his reputation from Supercars and strength on road courses, Justin Marks — co-owner of Trackhouse Racing, which fields the No. 88 Chevy — stressed that van Gisbergen’s real growth story is unfolding on the circuit’s challenging oval tracks.
Marks, reflecting on how quickly van Gisbergen is adapting to the distinct demands of stock-car racing‘s ovals, explained the obstacles drivers often face in the series:
“You look at just how difficult this thing is, that people spend years and years and years of their career trying to figure out these difficult racetracks out, and we’re just throwing him to the wolves and standing back and saying, Go figure it out, you have 20 minutes of practice.”
Trackhouse’s decision to sign van Gisbergen to a multi-year contract was, according to Marks, based on faith in his long-term potential within the Chevy ranks. Even with the bulk of his six NASCAR Cup wins coming on road courses, van Gisbergen’s seven top-20 finishes, including a recent top-10 at Kansas, underline a rapid learning curve.
“That’s why we signed him to a multi-year deal like we did, because we know that they will come. The fact that he’s so quickly already starting to find his way into the top 10 on the ovals, I think that there’s a very, very high ceiling there that can make him remarkably dangerous.”
Marks’ belief in van Gisbergen’s higher ceiling is shared among some in the NASCAR paddock. The 36-year-old Supercars Champion’s adaptability, particularly as a rookie, has shifted expectations and raised the possibility of his future emergence as a consistently strong competitor — not just on road courses, but on ovals as well.
Decisive Road Course Success Against Top Drivers
Van Gisbergen’s latest feat occurred at the NASCAR Charlotte ROVAL playoff event, where he earned a fifth consecutive road course victory, finishing 15.160 seconds ahead of fellow racer Kyle Larson. Throughout the race’s latter stages, only Larson and Christopher Bell were able to challenge van Gisbergen for the lead, underscoring the Kiwi’s dominance when it comes to technical circuits.
Speaking to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, van Gisbergen discussed the pivotal strategy shifts and his battle with top contenders:
“The start of that third stage I just didn’t have the speed, and both Christopher and Kyle passed me, and I just couldn’t get going, you know, and whatever Stephen did or the team did at the pit stop the next set of tires was amazing, and we drove back to them and same on the last set.”
“The car was just unreal, really fun to be able to come through like that, and yeah it was an awesome battle. It was a little bit rough with Kyle, but it was hard racing, and hopefully everyone enjoyed it, added Gisbergen.”
This streak of road course excellence has solidified van Gisbergen’s reputation as a specialist, but it also demonstrates his broader development. Battling names like Larson and Bell, both highly-regarded figures in the Cup Series, affirms that he is not simply a one-dimensional threat.
What Lies Ahead for Van Gisbergen and Trackhouse
As the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series enters its next phase, van Gisbergen’s progress will be monitored closely. His Trackhouse Racing team, represented by Justin Marks, believes his technical ability and rate of adaptation might soon translate to more consistent results on ovals, closing the gap with NASCAR veterans over time.
The Cup Series continues next at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with the Round of 8 opener scheduled for Sunday, October 12. Van Gisbergen will face new tests on traditional tracks, where further success could see him cement his status as one of stock-car racing’s most versatile new competitors. For now, the conversation around Shane van Gisbergen NASCAR adaptation remains one of optimism, both for his own career and Trackhouse Racing’s investment in world-class talent.
🗣️ "The car was just unreal."
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 @shanevg97 scores his 5th consecutive road course win of the season, taking the #BofARoval400 from @CLTMotorSpdwy. pic.twitter.com/pm9p3wvl6k
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) October 6, 2025
