Shane van Gisbergen expressed his concerns about his car’s performance during the NASCAR Cup race at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), despite achieving a notable win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. His mixed results in qualifying and the race highlight ongoing questions about his Cup Series competitiveness, reflecting growing Shane van Gisbergen NASCAR concerns among fans and analysts.
Victory at COTA Does Not Ease Performance Worries
While racing on Saturday at the COTA road course in the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports, Shane van Gisbergen managed to secure his first win at this Texas venue. Although he did not start at the front, he led for 31 laps—the most of any competitor—and executed a critical late-race pass, ultimately holding off Austin Hill by 0.780 seconds to take the checkered flag. This result marked his fifth career series victory, but his struggles earlier in the weekend were hard to ignore.
Piloting the No. 97 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the Cup Series, Van Gisbergen found himself qualifying 13th, a result that underscores lingering issues with pace and preparation at this higher level. He openly addressed these challenges after his O’Reilly win, revealing that both car setup and adaptation issues played roles.
Admitting Struggles and Pinpointing Areas for Improvement
Van Gisbergen provided a candid assessment of his performance and the state of his vehicle during both qualifying and the race itself:
“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.
He further noted adjustments made throughout the race in an effort to match competitors and find more speed:
“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.
Competition Remains Fierce from Toyota-Backed Teams
Other drivers, particularly those with Toyota power, have shown strong road course form in recent years. Christopher Bell and Tyler Reddick have both become consistent frontrunners at these specialized tracks, with Reddick taking pole for the second consecutive time. Their performances continue to raise the bar, making Van Gisbergen’s path to Cup Series dominance even more challenging.
With the Sunday Cup event fast approaching, Van Gisbergen faces another test: performing double duty and aiming for a milestone equaling Jeff Gordon’s six straight wins on road courses. This adds further pressure but also creates opportunity for the “Kiwi” driver to make Cup history.
Team Dynamics and Moments That Defined the Race
The path to Saturday’s win was anything but direct for Van Gisbergen. Starting from the outside of the second row, after losing pole to his JR Motorsports teammate Connor Zilisch in qualifying, he faced an uphill battle through COTA’s technical circuit. Sam Mayer, who led late into Stage 2, became a factor in the decisive moment that paved the way for Van Gisbergen’s victory.
“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.
With Mayer’s move creating room, Van Gisbergen advanced from sixth to first in the final five laps, highlighting the unpredictable nature of road course racing and the collective effort required to capitalize on opportunities.
What the Performance Gap Means Moving Forward
Although Van Gisbergen’s win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at COTA stands as a high point, the ongoing concerns about his Cup Series car illustrate the broader challenge of maintaining competitive form across NASCAR’s top divisions. Trackhouse Racing and JR Motorsports will need to address these issues quickly to keep pace with high-performing organizations like Toyota and standout drivers such as Reddick, Bell, and others.
As Van Gisbergen seeks historic success and Cup Series consistency, his performance at COTA emphasizes both his undeniable talent and the persistent technical hurdles confronting him. The coming events will show whether teams can close the gap and give him a car worthy of his reputation, especially as he targets iconic records and further Cup victories.
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
