Kiwi NASCAR Cup Series driver Shane van Gisbergen heads to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend looking to continue his steady progress on ovals.
The race will mark his third Cup Series start at the tight 0.533-mile venue, where he is still building experience. His best result at Bristol so far is 26th, achieved in last year’s event after struggling with handling.
“It’s pretty amazing. It’s such a unique place to race,” van Gisbergen said.
“It’s a really tough track for me, but I need to get better at it. I felt like I was reasonably competitive last time we ran there, but just got on the wrong side of how the tyres fell off. Hopefully I’ll have some progression this time around.”
Van Gisbergen returns to the track in WeatherTech colours for the second time this season. The partnership between the two dates back to 2017 and has continued through his move into NASCAR.
He arrives at Bristol sitting 14th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, just six points outside the top 13, following a strong run at Martinsville Speedway. There, he qualified fifth, his best oval qualifying effort, and spent much of the race inside the top 10 before finishing 11th.
That performance has helped build confidence, particularly on shorter tracks.
“On the shorter tracks, yeah, I feel a bit more confident,” he said. “You feel on top of the car, and I feel like I can drive it. Still on the bigger tracks, it’s always nerve-racking, I guess. Like the Vegas and Texas tracks, they are the tougher ones for me. In general, the more I go to them, the more comfortable I seem to get.”
The No. 97 Chevrolet he drives carries personal significance, having been raced by his father, Robert, and used throughout his Supercars career. He also ran the number during his 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, where he picked up three wins and three pole positions.
Last season, van Gisbergen also delivered three wins in the WeatherTech-backed entry, including victory at the Chicago Street Race, where he started from pole and led a large portion of the race.
Off track, his journey is featured in the documentary Runaway Kiwi, produced with NASCAR, Trackhouse Racing and SafetyCulture, following his rise from New Zealand to NASCAR.
Fans at Bristol will also get a chance to see van Gisbergen on Sunday, with a Q&A appearance in the Fan Zone followed by an autograph session at the Trackhouse Racing merchandise hauler.
As he continues to adapt to oval racing, this weekend presents another opportunity for van Gisbergen to build on recent gains and improve on his Bristol record.
Header Image: NASCAR
