Following his victory at Watkins Glen, Shane van Gisbergen detailed the strategic execution and tire management that secured his latest road course win. Despite facing significant tire fall-off, his No. 97 team navigated a high-stakes strategy to maintain its advantage over the field.
Van Gisbergen’s post-race comments highlighted a perfect synergy between driver feel and his Chevrolet team. Unlike previous years at the Glen, the 2026 race featured extreme tire degradation. The Kiwi’s storied background in Supercars, where tire management is a survival skill, gave him a distinct edge over the NASCAR field.
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Speaking with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Gisbergen said:
“There’s three seconds of fall off really, two and a half. So having that grip was a big advantage. And we kind of struggled, although we had the lead at the start of stage three, I could really feel my tires starting to go away. We stretched it as much as we could, and that gave us that advantage to the end. But yeah, just amazing call by Stephen to take a bit of pain, staying out, and then yeah, fun at the end.”
He attributed his skill to having raced on road courses for all his life. The Supercars champion said:
“I guess I’ve just done it all my life. And when you’re with a good bunch of people and you know they believe in you, it just adds to that confidence. And it grew throughout all last year. And I just enjoy doing it.
Gisbergen admitted the team has started developing the car specifically for his unique driving style. Those “big gains” in the car’s package have made him nearly untouchable, especially in such road-course events.
Furthermore, he credited the people at Trackhouse for their unwavering belief in him.
“We’ve developed the card in my style a little bit too. And yeah, I really feel like we’ve made some big gains in that area. And yeah, it’s just working with a great team, concluded Shane van Gisbergen.
In just 57 starts for Trackhouse Racing, Gisbergen has managed to win seven times. Though all his triumphs are on a road course event.
Watkins Glen runner-up refuses to call Shane van Gisbergen “unbeatable” despite the dominant run
In a post-race conversation, Michael McDowell shared his honest thoughts on losing to Shane van Gisbergen at the Go Bowling at The Glen race on Sunday, May 10.
The Spire Motorsports driver admitted that although Gisbergen is hard to beat in a road course race, McDowell said:
“I don’t feel like he’s unbeatable, he’s just really hard to beat because he executes so well and manages tires well. A place like this where there was that much falloff, he’s a hard guy to beat.”
In his second NASCAR Cup Series season, Shane van Gisbergen has grown exponentially. Apart from his road course dominance, the 37-year-old has managed one P6 finish in Atlanta and three more top 15 finishes on the ovals.
Edited by Sashwat Deo