Shane van Gisbergen’s 11th-place result on Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 doesn’t tell the whole story of how good he was. Running inside the top five for the majority of the race, it was only a misheard call that dropped him back in the closing stages of the race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, something that made him livid at the moment.
“We’ve sort of been given a row to go outside, and it would pay back. And I just misheard Josh, and I made the mistake, so I’m pretty pissed at myself for that,” Van Gisbergen told the media after the race.
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The #97 Trackhouse Racing driver was in the top five when a lightning caution was thrown with 48 laps to go. He came into the pits, but confusion with his spotter, Josh Williams, over how many tires to change pushed him outside the top 10, and he dropped as far as 14th during the final restart with 31 laps remaining.
He could only make up three positions thereafter.
Van Gisbergen, however, was a consistent threat to the front-runners for the majority of the race, which was riddled with cautions and late-race chaos. Ross Chastain crashed out after contact from Ricky Stenhouse Jr. with 80 laps to go, while Chris Buescher and Chase Briscoe were involved in another wreck, which affected Josh Berry. SVG, however, managed to keep himself out of trouble.
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“Some restarts were good, and then others I’m still putting myself in bad spots, but a lot of fun,” the New Zealander added.
Even though he failed to collect a top-10 finish, Shane van Gisbergen’s performance at Charlotte Motor Speedway was a warning to the rest of the garage. So far in his career, he has been seen as a sort of road-course specialist, with Trackhouse relying on him to deliver points at tracks where he can shine. And yes, he has dominated on road courses, even winning at Watkins Glen earlier this month.
WATKINS GLEN, NY – MAY 10: Shane Van Gisbergen 97 Trackhouse Racing Superfile Chevrolet celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Go Bowling at the Glen on May 10, 2026, at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, NY. Photo by David Hahn/Icon Sportswire AUTO: MAY 10 NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at the Glen EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260510039
But it is his lack of experience on ovals that has kept him from challenging for a championship. His performance in Concord was a subtle reminder that this could change very soon.
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Shane van Gisbergen reflects on improving oval runs
“I hope so. Like, it’s been an upward trend. Like, the last month has been average or a little bit more, but yeah, I feel like I’m generally getting better and better, and now our team is doing an amazing job, giving us better cars, too,” Van Gisbergen said when asked about repeating his Oval heroics in future races.
His run at Charlotte Motor Speedway was no fluke. In fact, he first showed signs of improvement at Kansas last year, where he finished 10th. His sixth-place finish at Atlanta earlier this year was also a warning to the rest of the field, as he managed to keep himself among the frontrunners despite multiple restarts.
Although he’s still admittedly better on road courses, the gap between his performances there and on oval tracks is still a “work in progress.”
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“There’s a lot of light bulb moments still, but I think I’m quite a conservative person or driver still, and I really benefit from the longer practice as well,” he said after the race. “I think that really helps, a couple of sets of tires and more time on track, and you get to experiment with things, and I think that really helps me.”
“It’s just taking time, it’s so different, this kind of racing, and I still learn something every week,” he added.
With Trackhouse Racing showing improvement in overall performance, and the No. 97 driver continuing to learn the style of racing that makes up most of NASCAR’s schedule, it is not hard to see the progress they have managed to make within the span of just one full-time season.
Considering how the Chase format works, it would not be surprising to see Shane van Gisbergen emerge as a title contender in the future if he becomes just a bit more consistent on ovals.
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