Is Shane Van Gisbergen developing a knack for NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series racing?
The three-time Supercars champion returned to NASCAR’s third-tier division for the third time this season, and fourth time in his career, on Saturday at North Wilkesboro Speedway, in an attempt to obtain extra on-track time for Sunday’s Window World 450 for the NASCAR Cup Series.
Driving the No. 71 Nations Guard Chevrolet Silverado RST, a third entry for Spire Motorsports, Van Gisbergen had an incredible finish – coming home third behind Front Row Motorsports teammates Chandler Smith and Layne Riggs.
The result in itself, for a driver who hadn’t competed on many short ovals prior to moving to the United States to pursue a NASCAR career in 2023, is incredible, but when you consider the caliber of drivers that he outran on Saturday, eyebrows begin to raise even more.
NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott was in the race, and a teammate to Van Gisbergen, and finished seventh, while several NASCAR Cup Series regulars also ran the event, including Corey Heim (who finished ninth), Christopher Bell (15th), and Carson Hocevar (27th). Several other notable drivers also competed in the event, like NASCAR Truck Series champions Ty Majeski and Ben Rhodes, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion Daniel Hemric, and long-time NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Newman.
While that is definitely a feather in Van Gisbergen’s cap, the 37-year-old driver says there isn’t much he can take from the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series event that will apply to the NASCAR Cup Series event on Sunday.
“Not really,” Van Gisbergen said when asked if it would transfer. “But it’s all just experience and time racing, learning how other people race, how to approach it, restarts, just experience.”
“They race too different,” he added.
The result at North Wilkesboro comes on the heels of two other NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts this season, first at Watkins Glen International in the No. 4 for Niece Motorsports, where he finished third, and later in the year at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where he finished 15th after spinning from a top five position.
It’s also the best oval result for the New Zealander across NASCAR’s National Series, matching a third-place finish in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at EchoPark Speedway in 2024. Van Gisbergen’s best non-superspeedway result was a fourth in the second-tier series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
While maybe things don’t 100% transfer to his day job, the NASCAR Cup Series – where he’s looking for any edge he can gain to make ‘The Chase’ – at the end of the day, running well is fun for Van Gisbergen, no matter what series, what team, or what racetrack.
“It’s just time, and you get to drive for good teams and good equipment it makes it really fun, so thanks to Spire Motorsports, and hopefully get to do it again,” Van Gisbergen said.
“I mean, it’s awesome, and hopefully it leads to more opportunities; the more experience I can get, it all helps.”
After NASCAR Cup Series qualifying was washed out Saturday afternoon, Van Gisbergen is scheduled to start Sunday’s Window World 450 inside the top-10, rolling off eighth.
Photo: Meg Oliphant, Getty Images
