Shane Van Gisbergen completed second to Tyler Reddick within the first street course race of the NASCAR Cup Sequence season at Circuit of the Americas but in addition needed to work approach more durable for it than any of his 5 wins in 2025.
To wit, the three-time Supercars champion turned Cup Sequence contender isn’t certain he’s mechanically this favourite for this weekend at Watkins Glen both. His street course prowess isn’t sufficient to compensate for the fact that Trackhouse Racing is struggling all over the place proper now.
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“That’s a tough one,” stated Van Gisbergen final weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. “We will’t magically go have wonderful vehicles subsequent week, proper? So, I positively assume we felt it a bit as early as COTA that I positively felt like I didn’t have a superb automotive compared to final yr in comparison with everybody else.
“So, we’re not going to magically present up at Watkins Glen and have one of the best vehicles; we have to positively get higher. It’s been a troublesome season, particularly the previous few weeks for everybody, however I additionally benefit from the grind of making an attempt to get higher.
“It’s irritating not being quick and we do have to get higher.”
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There are positives too, after all, that SVG is nineteenth within the standings, which is a far enchancment from final yr now that he’s gotten absolutely acclimated to racing on ovals on the highest stage. He’s additionally solely 16 factors behind veteran teammate Ross Chastain.
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However that’s the issue — Chastain is 18th within the standings with solely two superspeedway top-10s on his 2026 resume. That’s not the motive force. It’s the vehicles at Trackhouse year-over-year.
Once more, it’s not like ‘SVG’ was dangerous at Circuit of the Americas however he stated he simply lacked all the pieces within the automotive he had final yr that didn’t permit him to flawlessly take or retain the lead.
“It was simply all the pieces,” Van Gisbergen stated. “I didn’t have flip, drive or energy, and people are the three belongings you want. It made it troublesome at COTA and we struggled in qualifying in order that’s irritating.”
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For Van Gisbergen to make the Chase for the Championship, he might want to benefit from these street programs and win to the extent he did final yr. This playoff format not options and the win and you’re in element, so there’s further stress for ‘SVG’ to attain max factors this weekend and on the different tracks the place he turns proper.
“Yeah, after all, however I feel it is that expectation you need to handle,” stated Van Gisbergen. “As I stated, we’re not going to show up and have magically the quickest vehicles, you already know, that comes by means of arduous work, not simply placing good street course drivers in it. So yeah, we aren’t simply exhibiting up and anticipating to win, however hopefully we’re good.”
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