Shane van Gisbergen is about to enter uncharted territory, his first NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The Kiwi, who stunned America with his road course mastery first in Chicago in 2023 and last season in the Xfinity Series, has carried that form into 2025, will line up at Darlington Raceway this weekend as one of 16 drivers in the championship fight.
While the playoffs mark a new challenge, Van Gisbergen says his mindset won’t change drastically.
“I’ve tried to keep it the same, but you just know that you can’t make the mistakes because it’d be hard to dig ourselves out of it,” he explained during a recent media day.
“Every race has a storyline of how the day goes; it’s never free-flowing, so we just have to eliminate or minimise what we do wrong and try to get it right every week. That comes with preparation.”
Asked what success over the 10-week playoff run would look like, his answer was simple:
“Having a smile on my face at the end of it.”
Van Gisbergen’s reputation has been built around his road course brilliance, but he’s quick to credit the level of competition.
“Every race, there’s been a challenger. I think it’s been different guys most of the time, but the talent level on road courses is very high here. We’ve had some good races,” he said.
Still, the three-time Supercars champion admitted that nothing has come easily.
“It’s been good to execute, but the days haven’t been easy. The results have ended up pretty well, but there’s always been a tough part to each day. To be in a position to win nearly all of them and then go out and execute has been special.”
Despite years of championship experience in Supercars, the pressure of the playoffs still weighs heavily.
“Coming to the race on Sunday, I’ll be nervous as anything and get all that anxiety about it,” Van Gisbergen said.
“But you learn that means everything. We’ve worked all year for this, and that feeling you learn to channel. It’s good to be nervous; it means you care about it. If you don’t feel that, you’re probably in the wrong sport.”
He knows the key to advancing won’t be perfection, but consistency.
“It’s just going to be the law of averages for us. We’ve got to have three decent finishes, and we’ll be able to get through the round. I don’t know about the exact points total, but I know I need to get better to make it work.”
Van Gisbergen was candid when asked about where he stacks up.
“Strength, I guess, is my team. I have awesome people in my corner, and I know they’ll do anything for us to succeed. The weakness is me; it’s my inexperience. But I’ve got those people helping me to get better.”
As for the tracks ahead, he’s circled Darlington as one where he feels comfortable.
“Darlington’s something I’m getting better at. That’s one of my favourite tracks, and I’m enjoying it. But Gateway and Bristol are gonna be tough. I haven’t been to Gateway, and at Bristol I struggle a bit.”
Van Gisbergen’s impact has been felt not just on the track but also within the NASCAR paddock. On a recent episode of the Stacking Pennies podcast, hosts Corey LaJoie and Skip Flores welcomed Apex Hunters United drivers Scott Pye and Elliot Barbour, who both offered glowing reviews of the Kiwi’s unique talents.
“What probably makes him extra special is his spare capacity while driving,” said Pye.
“Some guys use everything in their minds just to drive the car fast. Shane has the awareness to slow things down, make the right calls, and stay out of trouble. His processing speed is elite.”
Barbour added that Van Gisbergen’s tyre management skills, honed in Australia’s long-distance races, also set him apart.
“He’ll let cars go away from him early in a run and always come back at the right time. Strategy and tyre life are areas where he’s annoyingly good.”
Flores also noted that Van Gisbergen’s detailed feedback and ability to break down a car’s behaviour is “like playing chess while the rest of us are playing checkers.”
With 16 drivers in the hunt and just 10 races to settle a champion, Van Gisbergen knows he must adapt quickly. But if there’s one thing his career has proven, it’s his ability to rise to the occasion.
“I’ve got awesome people in my corner, and I know they’ll do anything for us to succeed,” he said.
“Now it’s about me putting it together.”
The Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington will be the first test.
Header Image: Imagn
