Shane van Gisbergen has put collectively an especially spectacular rookie 12 months within the NASCAR Xfinity Collection, however you would be incorrect to easily name him a road-course ringer.
Whereas it is true that every one three of van Gisbergen’s victories have come on road-courses, he has three further top-10 finishes on the likes of Atlanta, Phoenix and Indianapolis.
With little apply out there to him, van Gisbergen has compelled to study on the fly throughout races. Nevertheless, he is tailored rapidly to the Xfinity Collection, ending top-15 in 12 of his first 20 races. A possible top-10 run at Pocono was spoiled on account of contact with Sam Mayer, but it surely’s clear that SVG has taken rapidly to stock-car racing.
As a consequence of his road-course aptitude, it is van Gisbergen who at present leads the Xfinity Collection in wins. If the regular-season ended in the present day, van Gisbergen can be seeded within the top-five, a serious assist in his bid for the 2024 Xfinity Collection championship.
His lack of oval expertise, nonetheless, should not be a purpose for his championship rivals to take him evenly. Whereas there’s just one road-course within the playoffs — the Charlotte Roval on Oct. 12 — it serves because the elimination race for the Spherical of 12. Even when Kansas and Talladega do not go van Gisbergen’s method, a win on the Roval would robotically put him within the Spherical of 8.
The schedule for the Spherical of 8 would not explicitly favor van Gisbergen, containing Las Vegas, Homestead and Martinsville, but it surely would not function the loss of life knell for his title bid, both. Van Gisbergen did not get a good shake in his first journey to Las Vegas in March, as engine troubles derailed his day. Homestead shall be a totally new venue for the New Zealander, however Martinsville could possibly be his alternative to strike.
Van Gisbergen ran contained in the top-10 at Martinsville in April earlier than finally settling for an Eleventh-place end. Contemplating how rapidly he learns in his debuts at tracks, going to a monitor for the second time could possibly be the catalyst for his first oval victory.
Take SVG evenly at your personal danger, Xfinity Collection subject: Behind the smiling, good natured shell of the Auckland native is a fierce competitor who is likely one of the greatest rookies any NASCAR sequence has ever seen.
