NASCAR insider goes against Denny Hamlin’s blunt playoff prediction for Shane van Gisbergen

NASCAR mechanic and pit crew member Bozi Tatarevic has pushed back on Denny Hamlin's comment about Shane van Gisbergen's chances of making it out of the round of 16. SVG has notched four Cup Series wins so far this season and collected 22 bonus playoff points in the process.

The 36-year-old will also claim the Rookie of the Year honor this season. While all his wins have come on road or street tracks, SVG has shown progress on ovals. During the spring race at Darlington Raceway this season, SVG started 36th and worked his way up to finish 20th.

However, Hamlin suggested on his "Actions Detrimental" podcast that the Trackhouse Racing driver may not go far in the NASCAR playoffs. Tatarevic later responded to Hamlin's comments and defended SVG's chances on X.

"I wouldn't count SVG out for a good finish at Darlington. He came from the back twice in the spring race and finished 20th. His pit crew has also been together for a few months now and I expect to see more consistency there compared to what we saw in the spring," Tatarevic wrote.

Bozi Tatarevic

@BoziTatarevic

I wouldn't count SVG out for a good finish at Darlington.​He came from the back twice in the spring race and finished 20th.​His pit crew has also been together for a few months now and I expect to see more consistency there compared to what we saw in the spring.

Shane van Gisbergen did have a disastrous start at ovals this season and his average finish in the first six oval races this season was just over 31st. His Cup debut at Bristol Motor Speedway saw him cross the line in 38th place after getting caught up in a crash.

The first track in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff Round of 16 is Darlington Raceway. The "Track Too Tough to Tame" is known for its challenging layout and abrasive surface. World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway (1.25-mile oval), where SVG has never raced before, and Bristol Motor Speedway (0.533-mile oval) are also some of the toughest tracks for him to score a decent finish.

What did Denny Hamlin say about Shane van Gisbergen's playoff prospects?

During the latest episode of his podcast, Denny Hamlin said that Shane van Gisbergen might lack the speed to challenge drivers like Alex Bowman, Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, and Bubba Wallace.

"I'll say Dillon, Berry, Cindric and SVG. ... Versus the guys like Bowman, Reddick, Logano, Chastain, Bubba. I think they all overtake, just on speed," Denny Hamlin said.

However, he added that SVG could capitalize with top-20 finishes and improve his standing heading into the final cutoff race, if a few drivers struggle on any race day.

"He's got 22 actual bonus points… he's not in a bad spot. All he needs is a few of these guys to have lackluster days, and he just somehow goes in there and finishes top 20, and he’ll find himself in a decent spot going into that last cutoff race," he added.

Shane van Gisbergen will try to move ahead in the first of the four rounds this weekend from 6 p.m. ET.