“It changed my life 180 degrees”: Shane van Gisbergen reflects on his unforgettable NASCAR debut in Chicago that stunned the world

NASCAR Cup Series driver Shane van Gisbergen was recently featured in an interview with ESPN ahead of the Challenge Round-2 Grant Park 165 at Chicago Street Course. During the interaction, Gisbergen shared his thoughts on his unforgettable debut race.

The New Zealand-based driver debuted in the Cup Series at Chicago Street Course under Trackhouse Racing's banner, driving the #91 Chevy Camaro ZL1 in 2023. Gisbergen had a solid start among the top five drivers, securing P3 for the 78-lap race. Later, he turned his third-place start into a P1 finish, crossing the finish line ahead of drivers like Justin Haley, Chase Elliott, and Kyle Larson.

Recalling his win on his debut race, Shane van Gisbergen told ESPN:

"It changed my life 180 degrees."

"It doesn't feel like it's been two years. But so much has happened since then. Yeah, amazing. We had a really strong car there last year, too, and had the potential to win it again. I'm looking forward to getting back there. Obviously, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for that track. So, it's a pretty cool and special place," he continued.

Following his win at Chicago Street Course, two months later, Trackhouse Racing signed Gisbergen as a developmental driver. He then ran a full Xfinity Series season for Kaulig Racing in 2024 and secured three wins. Then in 2025, Gisbergen landed a full-time Cup Series seat with Trackhouse Racing and won the Viva Mexico 250, solidifying his spot in the playoffs.

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Shane van Gisbergen opened up about his teammate Ross Chastain's leadership, along with his team's weakness

Trackhouse Racing secured its first win at the Coca-Cola 600 when Cup Series driver Ross Chastain pulled a last-minute maneuver on Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron. This marked Chastain's maiden season win, making him the first team driver among Daniel Suarez and Shane van Gisbergen to secure his playoff berth.

Reflecting on the same, Shane van Gisbergen shared his thoughts on Chastain's win and stated:

"I think he's the top guy here, and Daniel's pretty close as well, like everyone's pushing really hard, they're race-winning drivers. Then we're qualifying mid 20s and in the 30s every week. So you know, and still qualifying, we're not great."(0:25 onwards)

"It was a real struggle like I think I was fifth or sixth on the average lap. That's pretty good. But, qualifying, we just can't switch the tire off. So yeah, we need to work on that," he added.

With 268 points to his name, Shane van Gisbergen ranks 32nd on the Cup Series points table. Additionally, he has secured one win, two top-ten finishes, and one top-five finish with one pole position in 18 starts this season.