Shane Van Gisbergen Unfazed by NASCAR's Road Course Shake-Up

The New Zealand driver targets a playoff spot on merit as NASCAR moves away from road courses.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Shane van Gisbergen, a former Australian Supercars champion, has been viewed as a 'one race horse' in NASCAR, dominating the road courses but struggling on oval tracks. With NASCAR reducing the number of road courses in 2026, van Gisbergen faces a new challenge, but he remains unfazed, stating that he never joined the series just to win on road courses. The 36-year-old driver has shown signs of improvement on ovals, though he still struggles on short tracks like Bristol and Phoenix. Van Gisbergen is confident that he can continue to progress and earn a spot in the playoffs on merit, rather than relying on his road course expertise.

Why it matters

Van Gisbergen's success in NASCAR has been heavily dependent on his road course prowess, but the series' move towards fewer road courses presents a new challenge for the New Zealand driver. His ability to adapt and perform on oval tracks will be crucial in determining his future success in the sport.

The details

Ever since joining NASCAR, van Gisbergen has been known as a dominant force on road courses, having won three championships in Australia's Supercars division. However, the 36-year-old has struggled to master the oval speedways, finishing outside the Top 20 in the points standings last year. With NASCAR returning to the Chase format in 2026 and reducing the number of road courses, van Gisbergen will need to prove his worth on ovals to secure a spot in the championship-deciding rounds. The driver has shown signs of improvement on oval tracks, with some strong performances at Kansas and New Hampshire, but he still struggles on short tracks like Bristol and Phoenix.

  • In 2026, NASCAR will return to the Chase format and reduce the number of road courses on the schedule.
  • Last year, van Gisbergen had only his second year of racing on ovals, but it was still his rookie year as a full-time driver.

The players

Shane Van Gisbergen

A 36-year-old New Zealand driver who is a three-time champion in Australia's Supercars division and has dominated road courses in NASCAR, but has struggled to master oval tracks.

Trackhouse Racing

The team that van Gisbergen drives for in the NASCAR Cup Series.

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What they’re saying

“I didn't join the series to do road courses. Obviously, it's a bonus and yeah, I would love more road courses than less but it is what it is and thankfully we are getting better on the ovals, so that's good.”

— Shane Van Gisbergen (Motorsport)

What’s next

Van Gisbergen will need to continue improving his performance on oval tracks, especially short tracks like Bristol and Phoenix, in order to secure a spot in the 2026 NASCAR playoffs.

The takeaway

Shane van Gisbergen's success in NASCAR has been heavily reliant on his road course expertise, but the series' move towards fewer road courses presents a new challenge for the New Zealand driver. His ability to adapt and perform on oval tracks will be crucial in determining his future success in the sport, as he looks to prove his worth on merit rather than solely on his road course dominance.