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Shane van Gisbergen Voices Concerns Over NASCAR’s Approval Process: The Perils of Inexperience on the Oval Track

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
March 16, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
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Shane van Gisbergen Voices Concerns Over NASCAR’s Approval Process: The Perils of Inexperience on the Oval Track

Mar 15, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Shane van Gisbergen (88) during practice for the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Breaking into NASCAR’s top-tier competition is no mean feat, as it boasts some of the finest drivers globally, each vying for dominance on a varying range of tracks. The transition appears even more daunting for racers migrating from different motorsport disciplines such as IndyCar or Formula 1. Tony Stewart, for instance, clinched championships in both NASCAR and IndyCar, but that was prior to the introduction of the Next-Gen car, which has significantly changed the game. The Next-Gen car, with its unique dynamics, requires a considerable adjustment period, and mastering the art of oval racing necessitates ample practice.

One driver who can attest to this is Shane van Gisbergen, a New Zealander known for his exploits in the Supercars Championship. When he debuted in stock car racing in 2023 as a road course ringer, he quickly learned that excelling in the Cup Series was no walk in the park. Despite his successful start, Van Gisbergen has expressed dissatisfaction with NASCAR’s approval process, arguing that it leaves drivers ill-prepared for the challenges ahead.

Van Gisbergen’s impressive debut victory at the Chicago Street Course solidified his standing as one of the most formidable road course ringers in the sport. However, he agrees that his smooth transition is more of an exception than the rule for drivers seeking to penetrate the stock car racing series from different disciplines. Case in point, neither Helio Castroneves nor Katherine Legge, experienced drivers in their own right, managed to find much luck in their one-off races due to insufficient practice in stock cars and oval tracks.

Reflecting on his initial experience and the challenges faced by his fellow newcomers, Van Gisbergen stressed the importance of practice. He recalled his own debut, where he had to complete 40 laps around the Charlotte Roval to demonstrate his racing capabilities. He sympathized with the struggles faced by Katherine Legge and others who dive headfirst into oval racing without adequate practice. He also highlighted the difficulties Helio Castroneves faced during his Daytona 500 debut, where he failed to finish the race and was knocked out during a Lap 71 restart. He suggested that rookies should be given ample testing opportunities to better acclimate to the demanding nature of the sport.

NASCAR’s approval process has recently come under heavy scrutiny, especially regarding the inclusion of ‘celebrity drivers’ in races for entertainment purposes. But as Van Gisbergen and others have pointed out, acclimating to the highest level of the sport is easier said than done. Katherine Legge, for instance, found herself in hot water after an early retirement at Phoenix Raceway, which subsequently impacted another driver’s race. The incident led Daniel Suarez to criticize NASCAR for allowing inexperienced drivers to compete in the Cup Series.

The criticism doesn’t stop with Suarez. Two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch has also expressed concerns about NASCAR’s approval process, suggesting that the decision-making power should not always lay in the hands of the ‘suit and ties’. The debate extends beyond a mere power struggle between racers and authorities. The safety implications of allowing inexperienced drivers on the track could potentially be grave, and many are calling on NASCAR to address these concerns.

Meanwhile, Van Gisbergen is set to reprise his role as a NASCAR participant at the upcoming Pennzoil 400 in Las Vegas. He will be donning the colors from his Supercar Championship days. This will only be his second time competing in the 1.5-mile quad oval, after finishing 29th at the South Point 400 in the previous year. With Red Bull backing him after a 14-year gap, Van Gisbergen is hopeful of a successful outing at the ‘Diamond in the Desert’. He won three Supercars Championship titles and several Bathurst 1000 wins under Red Bull, and he is eager to replicate this success in his NASCAR career. It remains to be seen how this Kiwi sensation, renowned for his road course prowess rather than oval tracks, will fare in Vegas and whether he can demonstrate his evolution as a driver since his 2023 debut.

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