"I wanted to stop": Shane van Gisbergen reveals the bitter truth of the disaster that almost ended his career

Shane van Gisbergen might now be one of the most compelling success stories in modern NASCAR. He's a Cup Series rookie with three wins and a Chicago debut winner that shook the paddock in 2023. But just over a decade ago, the New Zealander came very close to walking away from motorsports altogether.

Reflecting on a turbulent chapter during his recent appearance on The Athletic's 12 Questions Podcast, Shane van Gisbergen opened up about the lowest point of his professional journey. It came in 2012, when a legal feud, public backlash, and deep frustration nearly forced him out of racing. He said:

"In 2012, at the end of that year, I was out of racing. I wanted to stop, and I sort of did stop. And then Dad (Robert) really convinced me to keep going, and we changed teams. It was a big legal sh** fight, and I ended up joining another team. It was really bad publicly, but I was able to just knuckle down and focus on my driving."

SVG's answer referenced one of the most controversial sagas in Supercars' history. His exit from Stone Brothers Racing (SBR) in late 2012 spiraled into legal threats and public speculation. Though he had initially cited 'personal reasons' for stepping away, it soon emerged that Shane van Gisbergen had signed with Tekno Autosports for the 2013 season, just as SBR was transitioning into Erebus Motorsport.

Shane van Gisbergen (97) TEKNO Holden during the 2014 V8 Supercars Championship. Source: Getty

That move triggered outrage within SBR, who alleged a breach of contract. At the heart of the issue was the fact that his multi-year agreement with SBR included driving for Erebus' Mercedes program. They initiated legal proceedings to block his move, but the dispute was eventually resolved out of court.

Van Gisbergen revealed that he was disillusioned with the direction of the team, and, by his own admission, felt trapped. But with the support of his parents, SVG turned it around. He candidly expressed regret over how the situation was handled, particularly how the narrative spiraled in public while he remained silent.

"The team (Stone Brothers Racing) had sort of gone bad, they changed ownership, and I didn't want to drive there. They were changing manufacturers (Ford to Mercedes), doing it a completely different way that you knew wasn't going to work… But I went about it the wrong way. I was too shy publicly and let the team say all my words. They made out that I had depression, and they made out like I was backstabbing them," he told The Athletic

Since coming out of that phase, the 36-year-old driver has recorded 33 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, winning three races.

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Shane Van Gisbergen's racing resurgence ends in NASCAR stardom

Shane Van Gisbergen after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Viva Mexico 250. Source: Getty

Shane Van Gisbergen’s quiet 2013 comeback with Tekno Autosports spoke louder than any legal statement. He won on debut for the new team, contended for the title in 2014, and soon attracted the attention of Triple Eight Race Engineering, arguably the most formidable team in Supercars.

The move to Triple Eight marked the start of his golden era: three Supercars championships (2016, 2021, 2022) and three Bathurst 1000 wins made him a household name in Australian motorsport. The desire for a new challenge led him to Trackhouse Racing and the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023. SVG impressed everyone by winning on debut at the Chicago Street Race, becoming the first driver in 60 years to do so.

Shane van Gisbergen (R) and Trackhouse Racing team co-owner, Justin Marks, at Nashville in 2023. Source: Getty

That win earned him a developmental contract in 2024 and a full-time seat for 2025. Now, with two wins in his rookie season and growing popularity among NASCAR fans, the legal mess of 2012 is no longer the defining moment.