Shane van Gisbergen has captured attention in the NASCAR world with four victories on road courses, sparking discussions about his potential in the playoffs. His recent performance suggests that he is beginning to find his footing on oval tracks, a critical aspect of his upcoming playoff strategy.
Van Gisbergen achieved his first oval win recently, taking the top spot in the Pro Legends A-Feature at Charlotte Motor Speedway during the closing night of the 2025 Cook Out Summer Shootout. This victory, combined with his improving results in the Cup Series, indicates a growing competency on oval circuits. He secured pole position at North Wilkesboro and subsequently qualified P6 at Dover and P11 at Indianapolis. Out of 20 oval events during the regular season, the New Zealand native has recorded six top-20 finishes, demonstrating a consistent upward trajectory, including a notable rise from P27 to P14 at Richmond.
Insiders now anticipate that van Gisbergen’s progress will make him a significant contender in the final ten races of the season, despite only one road course race on the playoff schedule—the Roval during the Round of 12. To advance, he must navigate the challenges of the Round of 16, which includes three oval races at Darlington, Gateway, and Bristol.
Former NASCAR team member and analyst Steve Letarte shared insights on NASCAR Inside the Race, stating, “It takes about a 17th-place average in points to advance out of the first round of the playoffs.” He acknowledged that while he initially viewed the #88 car’s playoff chances as slim, the performance at Richmond provided a glimpse of van Gisbergen’s potential. “This is the first glimpse… If this is the SVG on the ovals we see,” Letarte noted, although he cautioned that winning on ovals remains a challenge against seasoned competitors.
Looking ahead, van Gisbergen has prior Cup experience at Darlington, where he finished 26th and 20th in two previous races. He has yet to race at Gateway and has only one Cup start at Bristol, where he unfortunately finished 38th due to suspension issues. During a media session at Watkins Glen International, he expressed a cautious optimism about his playoff prospects.
“I really have no idea. I try not to race with expectations and just take it as it comes,” van Gisbergen remarked. He acknowledged the progress he has made, particularly on returning to tracks for a second time, recalling similar improvements during his previous season in Xfinity. He is hopeful of continuing this upward trend, especially at Darlington, which he considers his favorite oval. Earlier this season, he finished 20th at Darlington in the Cup Series and scored a top-ten finish in Xfinity.
Despite the challenges presented by Gateway, where he has no prior experience, van Gisbergen believes that advancing past the Round of 16 could lead to better opportunities in the second round, particularly with the road course event at Charlotte Roval. “So I don’t really know how we’re going to end up, but I do feel like we’re improving every week and our average running position or pace is definitely trending in the right direction, so if we execute, who knows what can happen,” he stated.
As the playoffs approach, van Gisbergen’s immediate focus is on delivering a strong performance at Daytona next weekend, aiming to build momentum and confidence before tackling the oval challenges ahead.
