Shane van Gisbergen‘s breakthrough rookie season in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series has turned attention to his swift mastery of road course races and the contrasting challenges he faces on oval tracks. The Supercar ace’s insights into Shane van Gisbergen oval racing shed light on the unique complexities that set these circuits apart, despite their deceptively simple appearance.
Road Course Success Framed Against Oval Challenges
During the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series, Shane van Gisbergen drove the Trackhouse Chevy to five impressive victories, all secured on road courses. His dominance in these events met expectations, given his extensive Supercar racing background. However, van Gisbergen faced noticeable difficulties adapting to oval tracks, putting him at a disadvantage compared to drivers who grew up competing regularly on such circuits. For many seasoned competitors, oval racing is second nature, but for van Gisbergen, the transition revealed multiple hurdles.
While outsiders might assume that fewer corners would make ovals easier, van Gisbergen was quick to point out the multitude of factors at play. He indicated that the apparent simplicity masks intricate technical demands, particularly concerning car setup and the physics of consistently turning in one direction. As van Gisbergen explained,
“It’s everything. Everything adds up to how difficult it is here. It seems more simple, you would think for two corners, but there’s so many little intricate details of how the cars are set up just to turn one way.”
– Shane van Gisbergen, told Stuff (Via The Post).
The Influence of Banking and Limited Practice on Performance
One of the most significant elements that sets oval tracks apart is the presence and degree of banking in the corners—a feature unfamiliar to van Gisbergen from his racing in mainly flat or minimally banked street circuits. The restricted 20-minute practice sessions available to NASCAR drivers provide little time for newcomers to become accustomed to these nuances, making the learning curve even steeper. Van Gisbergen highlighted the difficulty of quickly adapting:
“How they load up and how they feel once you’re on the banking. With the banking, it’s just such an odd, unique feeling that you don’t get in any other form of racing and then you have no practice.”
– Shane van Gisbergen.
Most Cup drivers possess a deep familiarity with these venues due to years of experience, while van Gisbergen must rely on every opportunity, including non-Cup and smaller regional races, to build a comparable base of knowledge. He outlined the intense challenge of adapting to new circuits with minimal preparation:
“You basically have 10 or 15 minutes and one set of tyres and to learn a new track and get ready for the weekend. It’s just taken me time to build up that experience, I guess.”
– Shane van Gisbergen.
Lessons from Marcos Ambrose’s NASCAR Transition
Marcos Ambrose, another accomplished driver who transitioned from Supercars to NASCAR, serves as a relevant example for van Gisbergen’s journey. Ambrose faced similar difficulties in his early years but gradually improved, eventually becoming a respected oval competitor. According to Ambrose, years of repetition are critical to matching rivals who have driven on ovals since childhood. He remarked,
“Over time, you get better at it, but the guys who have done it since they were eight, or nine or 10, they’re just way up the road.”
– Marcos Ambrose.
For van Gisbergen, following a path akin to Ambrose’s—competing frequently in regional and developmental NASCAR divisions—could accelerate his learning. By seeking out as many oval race starts as possible, van Gisbergen aims to reduce the experience gap and sharpen his competitive edge within the Cup Series.
Future Outlook for Shane van Gisbergen in NASCAR Ovals
Although van Gisbergen’s immediate impact has centered on road courses, his continued commitment to learning the intricacies of oval racing reflects a strong desire to become a more versatile and formidable NASCAR driver. Accumulating experience by racing across various divisions and tracks, especially ovals, will likely be key to his long-term competitiveness. As seen with Marcos Ambrose, persistence and adaptation can close substantial gaps in experience. The coming seasons will reveal how successfully Shane van Gisbergen integrates these core oval racing skills to elevate his NASCAR career, with many insiders and fans eager to see his evolution on America’s classic high-speed circuits.
