August 26, 2025 • 11 mins
The 2025 NASCAR season is well under way and Trackhouse Racing's Shane van Gisbergen has qualified for the NASCAR playoff series.
He has already tied up the Rookie of the Year award and won four races.
D'Arcy caught up with Shane to discuss how his rookie season has been going so far.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Let's move on now, No. Shane Van Gisbergen awaits. He's
a Kiwi former Supercar champion winner a bad first he had,
a racing series winner New Zealand Grand Prix winner. He's
a rally car driver. He's raced remote control cars as well.
He works now for track House Racing and he's qualifying
(00:33):
for the NASCAR Playoff series. He's managed to tie up
the Rookie of the Year award allready. He's the only
rookie he's hit the playoffs. He's won four racers. He's
running in the Red Bull sponsored number eighty eight chev
and I talk to us now about the rookie season.
He's been over there a couple of years now. He
(00:55):
started off member as a part timer. He's finally got
the full time drive after making that brave old switch
from Australia across to the Land of the Free, the
home of the brave. So what's it done? From what's
he noticed, what's been the difference is how's changed been
for HAMI joins us now, saying welcome to the show.
(01:15):
What a crazy year you've had so far, must be
hard for you to describe the success you've had up
so far. It's been outrageous.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Yeah, hey mate, good to see again. Yeah, I've had
a good year. I've enjoyed it.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Very difficult at first, but yeah, we're really fine in
our stride and.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
It seems to be improving, getting better every week.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
And yeah, it's been great to get into the playoffs
and keep building for it.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Plainly, Shane, if I know you, you'll go out to win
every race as opposed to an entire series. But now
you've hit the playoff, Now you've got an opportunity to
get right to the top of the stack. Does that
change your thinking? Are you feeling the weight of expectation,
especially you've got four wins, but now you're at the
point at end?
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Yeah, yes, to know, like we weren't really like I
guess the first road course was our first proper opportunity
to win, and Coder we struggled a lot, you know,
I'm still new as a team then, and yeah, I
feel like since then and Mexico was the next road course,
I feel like we made huge gains and it's kind
of just float since then.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
And also our Ovals.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Have gotten a lot better and better, and yeah, it's
it's just been progressed, steady progress. It was difficult, you know,
at the start of the year. We were in the
thirties most weeks and just a new team learning what
we needed, a new driver. I had a lot to
learn and still do. And yeah, I feel like every
week we're just just making strides, you know, and kind
of coming not easily, but we're trying not to force it,
(02:45):
just not make mistakes and don't take too many stupid ricks.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
And it seems to.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Be working for us for sure. But that racer and
new it must be I wouldn't say a struggle, but
difficult to want to bang and bash and race and
also keep the car straight and keep from wrecking. Is
that a conscious struggle?
Speaker 4 (03:04):
Yeah, Like I feel like I'm pretty conservative guy anyway,
so it's kind of suited me. And I've been able
to just build up as I go, and yeah, it's
not much pressure on ourselves, just kind of be methodical
about it. And yeah, I feel like it's really worked
for us, so there's no point to change it or
force it.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Talk to just about the Ovals Shane and experienced, Well,
you were when you first started. You still haven't scored
a when on the highest position has been at twelve.
But tell us about the learning through this. You've done
a lot of work, incremental, slowly, but surely you are
making improvements. Where are those improvements coming from? Do you
(03:42):
feel like you're actually making a dent in this?
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Just time and experience, Like we don't have ovals in
our part of the world, you know, at least time
make ones. We don't have them, So that's what everyone's
grown up racing here, and it's just that time and
experience and learning. And there's been I think fifteen different
race wins, so almost half the field here is how
(04:07):
good and how close everyone is, so it's hard to
nail it on that particular weekend. But I feel like
we're well inside the pack now in terms of average speed,
and you know, we're really getting there almost every single week.
So it just takes time to learn. The tracks are
all so different in their own subtle way, and you know,
there's I guess you know there's only two corners, so
(04:28):
you would think it's easier, but that just means the
little details matter more and you just got to get
everything right, get that flow, get the rhythm and understand
what you're up against. And we just don't have that well,
I don't have that notebook yet of knowing each track
and knowing what makes Calf fast there.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
I'm still learning everywhere I go.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Very nuanced oval racing. It's not just a case of
turning left. So experience, yes, but what about knowledge from
other drivers? Who do you seek counsel with other drivers
and the like around what the best approach is to
over racing.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
Well, Marcus Ambrose was the most helpful last year and
just he knew exactly what I went through and what
I'm going through. And then also I have Kevin Harvick
I can reach to, you know, he's been a NASCAR champion,
So yeah, good bunch of guys. And then every week,
you know, we have a pretty intense meeting with my
crew chief and my spotter. And my spotter Josh Williams
(05:26):
is just excellent. He's won the championship before with other drivers,
and yeah, just knows what I need to be looking
for and guides me through the races so well.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
And it's a really cool dynamic we have.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
And I think those combination of all those guys really
helps me move forward.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
As we well know, Shane, you're adept at moving between categories.
You've won multiple series and multiple different cars, open wheelers,
stock cars, essentially remote control cars even but NASCAR is
very different from what he view of Druven. What is
the major difference do you think from every other category
(06:04):
you've raced and the nascars.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
It's just the ovals and the way they're set up,
you know, just turn one way that the cars feel
so funky and twisted to make it turn, and the
way that achieve speed is different to anything I've ever driven.
So I'm still learning a lot and still trying to
get that feeling of how much you're the car can.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Handle and how to load the tie properly.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
And I'm just, you know, every week I'm finding something
and I have a little moment where I feel like, oh, yeah,
this is working. And it's just you know, they're so
funky when you first jump in them, and you know,
the tires are completely different left and right, and it's
just they're just odd, you know.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
But yeah, it's just it's just time that I need.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Plainly in the car. Shane, You're very comfortable. You've made
it a huge splash with Trackhouse. But what about personally
moving to the United States? Is that comfortable for you?
How are you settling in?
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Oh, it's good, I've Yeah, I think it's been a
great change for me.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
I was struggling last year in Australia and it was
perfect timing to make a change and do something different,
you know, and gone from hating racing to loving it again.
And yeah, just every week and I smile on my
face and yeah, every Monday we're going for our meeting
and prep debrief and yeah, I'm just stoked to be
(07:21):
there and wanting to make things better, you know. And
I just I think it's been the best thing I've done.
I've really enjoyed the change and the new challenge. And
I was really happy when Justin offered to extend the
contract we already had, and it's a no brainer. I
can see myself here for a few more years. I
really really enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
The nature of racing with Nasca, Shane, you're basically running
every week King, did I know when you're running Supercars,
for example, every other weekend you had to find yourself
something else to do. But now this is constant. It's relentless,
but I expect that driving sets you down to the ground,
doesn't it one percent?
Speaker 4 (07:56):
You know, I miss rally and stuff like that. But
I really it doesn't get boring here. It's not like
you're doing the same oval every week. You'll do a
super speedway or a short track Comedia.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
It's a different challenge every week, so.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
It doesn't really get stale just doing ovals, and I
found it. I found it really intriguing every week, the
different dynamic and you just get into this flow of
the preparation and study, and yeah, it's.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Been good fun to all the end of their supercar career.
With the generation change with the cars, it became a
lot less racing, more about pet and tire management. Is
this a lot more pure racing for you? The NASCAR experience.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
Yeah, I always find in a race, always something's happening,
and it's hard to you know, NASCAR is very rare
that the fastest car wins.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
You know, there's so many different dynamics of the race.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
The stages, the the late cautions and restarts are crazy
and you know, someone if they want to, can just
bump you out of the way. It's a very different
dynamic to any other racing I've ever done, and yeah,
I just find it there's always something unknown to happen
almost every week, So I like that side of it.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Now heated, does it get out there as Shane? I mean,
you can go through the blue head nice and calm,
or maybe a redhead if things get a bit tasty,
and with all the bumping and the grinding out there,
you're okay with keeping yourself nice and calm and steady
and well tempered through the race.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Yeah. I don't really have too many run ins with people.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
I feel like I try and get pretty level headed
or neutral with everyone, and I've had a couple of
little run ins with people, but you know, you raise
them every single week, so you can't afford not to
get along because you crash into someone and then the
next week it turns out you're probably going to race.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Them again, you know.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
So it's not like football or something where you have
a fight with someone and you don't see them for
another year or something. You know, you see them the
next week. So yeah, I find it. I find it
kind of works itself out. No one really does anything
stupid and just take someone out for no reason. There's
always a reason something happens you either deserve it or whatever.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
I think seems unprovoked, which is.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Good variety, the spice of life. But we know you
love different formula, different categories. But what about restrictions with
track house. Are you allowed to go and maybe race
Bathurst again, or run at Lemon or climb into a
rally car again. What kind of restrictions are you under.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Well, I've raced a bit during midweeks, I race some
legend cars, and I want to try and do some
dirt racing, some speedway, but it's hard.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
We literally race every week and now.
Speaker 4 (10:33):
Off season is pretty much the off season around the world.
So I might be able to do some club rallies
if I come home to New Zealand, But yeah, I
can't really just go and Dolman or a Bathurst because
that's right in the middle of our season, you know,
So that'll be a few years away before that all happens.
But at the moment, I'm happy just racing. Carpet's a long,
pretty grueling season, but I don't mind it at the moment.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
So looking forward to the playoffs. And at NASCAR, you've
done tremendously well. You've picked up for race wins, you
are the rookie of the year. You're going into the
far finals. A huge year for you, Shane, and we're
looking forward to watching you on the up and up
as you carry on dominating well we hope. So anyway
over in American auto sport, go well and thanks for
(11:19):
your time.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Let's move on now, No. Shane Van Gisbergen awaits. He's
a Kiwi former Supercar champion winner a bad first he had,
a racing series winner New Zealand Grand Prix winner. He's
a rally car driver. He's raced remote control cars as well.
He works now for track House Racing and he's qualifying
(00:33):
for the NASCAR Playoff series. He's managed to tie up
the Rookie of the Year award allready. He's the only
rookie he's hit the playoffs. He's won four racers. He's
running in the Red Bull sponsored number eighty eight chev
and I talk to us now about the rookie season.
He's been over there a couple of years now. He
(00:55):
started off member as a part timer. He's finally got
the full time drive after making that brave old switch
from Australia across to the Land of the Free, the
home of the brave. So what's it done? From what's
he noticed, what's been the difference is how's changed been
for HAMI joins us now, saying welcome to the show.
(01:15):
What a crazy year you've had so far, must be
hard for you to describe the success you've had up
so far. It's been outrageous.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Yeah, hey mate, good to see again. Yeah, I've had
a good year. I've enjoyed it.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Very difficult at first, but yeah, we're really fine in
our stride and.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
It seems to be improving, getting better every week.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
And yeah, it's been great to get into the playoffs
and keep building for it.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Plainly, Shane, if I know you, you'll go out to win
every race as opposed to an entire series. But now
you've hit the playoff, Now you've got an opportunity to
get right to the top of the stack. Does that
change your thinking? Are you feeling the weight of expectation,
especially you've got four wins, but now you're at the
point at end?
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Yeah, yes, to know, like we weren't really like I
guess the first road course was our first proper opportunity
to win, and Coder we struggled a lot, you know,
I'm still new as a team then, and yeah, I
feel like since then and Mexico was the next road course,
I feel like we made huge gains and it's kind
of just float since then.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
And also our Ovals.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Have gotten a lot better and better, and yeah, it's
it's just been progressed, steady progress. It was difficult, you know,
at the start of the year. We were in the
thirties most weeks and just a new team learning what
we needed, a new driver. I had a lot to
learn and still do. And yeah, I feel like every
week we're just just making strides, you know, and kind
of coming not easily, but we're trying not to force it,
(02:45):
just not make mistakes and don't take too many stupid ricks.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
And it seems to.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Be working for us for sure. But that racer and
new it must be I wouldn't say a struggle, but
difficult to want to bang and bash and race and
also keep the car straight and keep from wrecking. Is
that a conscious struggle?
Speaker 4 (03:04):
Yeah, Like I feel like I'm pretty conservative guy anyway,
so it's kind of suited me. And I've been able
to just build up as I go, and yeah, it's
not much pressure on ourselves, just kind of be methodical
about it. And yeah, I feel like it's really worked
for us, so there's no point to change it or
force it.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Talk to just about the Ovals Shane and experienced, Well,
you were when you first started. You still haven't scored
a when on the highest position has been at twelve.
But tell us about the learning through this. You've done
a lot of work, incremental, slowly, but surely you are
making improvements. Where are those improvements coming from? Do you
(03:42):
feel like you're actually making a dent in this?
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Just time and experience, Like we don't have ovals in
our part of the world, you know, at least time
make ones. We don't have them, So that's what everyone's
grown up racing here, and it's just that time and
experience and learning. And there's been I think fifteen different
race wins, so almost half the field here is how
(04:07):
good and how close everyone is, so it's hard to
nail it on that particular weekend. But I feel like
we're well inside the pack now in terms of average speed,
and you know, we're really getting there almost every single week.
So it just takes time to learn. The tracks are
all so different in their own subtle way, and you know,
there's I guess you know there's only two corners, so
(04:28):
you would think it's easier, but that just means the
little details matter more and you just got to get
everything right, get that flow, get the rhythm and understand
what you're up against. And we just don't have that well,
I don't have that notebook yet of knowing each track
and knowing what makes Calf fast there.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
I'm still learning everywhere I go.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Very nuanced oval racing. It's not just a case of
turning left. So experience, yes, but what about knowledge from
other drivers? Who do you seek counsel with other drivers
and the like around what the best approach is to
over racing.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
Well, Marcus Ambrose was the most helpful last year and
just he knew exactly what I went through and what
I'm going through. And then also I have Kevin Harvick
I can reach to, you know, he's been a NASCAR champion,
So yeah, good bunch of guys. And then every week,
you know, we have a pretty intense meeting with my
crew chief and my spotter. And my spotter Josh Williams
(05:26):
is just excellent. He's won the championship before with other drivers,
and yeah, just knows what I need to be looking
for and guides me through the races so well.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
And it's a really cool dynamic we have.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
And I think those combination of all those guys really
helps me move forward.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
As we well know, Shane, you're adept at moving between categories.
You've won multiple series and multiple different cars, open wheelers,
stock cars, essentially remote control cars even but NASCAR is
very different from what he view of Druven. What is
the major difference do you think from every other category
(06:04):
you've raced and the nascars.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
It's just the ovals and the way they're set up,
you know, just turn one way that the cars feel
so funky and twisted to make it turn, and the
way that achieve speed is different to anything I've ever driven.
So I'm still learning a lot and still trying to
get that feeling of how much you're the car can.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Handle and how to load the tie properly.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
And I'm just, you know, every week I'm finding something
and I have a little moment where I feel like, oh, yeah,
this is working. And it's just you know, they're so
funky when you first jump in them, and you know,
the tires are completely different left and right, and it's
just they're just odd, you know.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
But yeah, it's just it's just time that I need.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Plainly in the car. Shane, You're very comfortable. You've made
it a huge splash with Trackhouse. But what about personally
moving to the United States? Is that comfortable for you?
How are you settling in?
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Oh, it's good, I've Yeah, I think it's been a
great change for me.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
I was struggling last year in Australia and it was
perfect timing to make a change and do something different,
you know, and gone from hating racing to loving it again.
And yeah, just every week and I smile on my
face and yeah, every Monday we're going for our meeting
and prep debrief and yeah, I'm just stoked to be
(07:21):
there and wanting to make things better, you know. And
I just I think it's been the best thing I've done.
I've really enjoyed the change and the new challenge. And
I was really happy when Justin offered to extend the
contract we already had, and it's a no brainer. I
can see myself here for a few more years. I
really really enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
The nature of racing with Nasca, Shane, you're basically running
every week King, did I know when you're running Supercars,
for example, every other weekend you had to find yourself
something else to do. But now this is constant. It's relentless,
but I expect that driving sets you down to the ground,
doesn't it one percent?
Speaker 4 (07:56):
You know, I miss rally and stuff like that. But
I really it doesn't get boring here. It's not like
you're doing the same oval every week. You'll do a
super speedway or a short track Comedia.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
It's a different challenge every week, so.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
It doesn't really get stale just doing ovals, and I
found it. I found it really intriguing every week, the
different dynamic and you just get into this flow of
the preparation and study, and yeah, it's.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Been good fun to all the end of their supercar career.
With the generation change with the cars, it became a
lot less racing, more about pet and tire management. Is
this a lot more pure racing for you? The NASCAR experience.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
Yeah, I always find in a race, always something's happening,
and it's hard to you know, NASCAR is very rare
that the fastest car wins.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
You know, there's so many different dynamics of the race.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
The stages, the the late cautions and restarts are crazy
and you know, someone if they want to, can just
bump you out of the way. It's a very different
dynamic to any other racing I've ever done, and yeah,
I just find it there's always something unknown to happen
almost every week, So I like that side of it.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Now heated, does it get out there as Shane? I mean,
you can go through the blue head nice and calm,
or maybe a redhead if things get a bit tasty,
and with all the bumping and the grinding out there,
you're okay with keeping yourself nice and calm and steady
and well tempered through the race.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Yeah. I don't really have too many run ins with people.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
I feel like I try and get pretty level headed
or neutral with everyone, and I've had a couple of
little run ins with people, but you know, you raise
them every single week, so you can't afford not to
get along because you crash into someone and then the
next week it turns out you're probably going to race.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Them again, you know.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
So it's not like football or something where you have
a fight with someone and you don't see them for
another year or something. You know, you see them the
next week. So yeah, I find it. I find it
kind of works itself out. No one really does anything
stupid and just take someone out for no reason. There's
always a reason something happens you either deserve it or whatever.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
I think seems unprovoked, which is.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Good variety, the spice of life. But we know you
love different formula, different categories. But what about restrictions with
track house. Are you allowed to go and maybe race
Bathurst again, or run at Lemon or climb into a
rally car again. What kind of restrictions are you under.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Well, I've raced a bit during midweeks, I race some
legend cars, and I want to try and do some
dirt racing, some speedway, but it's hard.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
We literally race every week and now.
Speaker 4 (10:33):
Off season is pretty much the off season around the world.
So I might be able to do some club rallies
if I come home to New Zealand, But yeah, I
can't really just go and Dolman or a Bathurst because
that's right in the middle of our season, you know,
So that'll be a few years away before that all happens.
But at the moment, I'm happy just racing. Carpet's a long,
pretty grueling season, but I don't mind it at the moment.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
So looking forward to the playoffs. And at NASCAR, you've
done tremendously well. You've picked up for race wins, you
are the rookie of the year. You're going into the
far finals. A huge year for you, Shane, and we're
looking forward to watching you on the up and up
as you carry on dominating well we hope. So anyway
over in American auto sport, go well and thanks for
(11:19):
your time.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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