Shane van Gisbergen reacts on radio for being “nice” to #48 during Martinsville race

Shane van Gisbergen didn’t hold back his frustration toward fellow Chevrolet driver Alex Bowman after their run-in at Martinsville Speedway. Over the #88 Trackhouse Racing radio, the New Zealander said he’d been nice with Bowman long enough.

SVG started the race in 22nd and climbed to 12th by the end of Stage 1. During the second stage, the 36-year-old Cup Series rookie was still on the lead lap, while Bowman, driver of the #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, had dropped among the lapped cars. On a short and narrow track like Martinsville, lapped traffic can easily disrupt the runs of those still contending on the lead lap.

In a radio message from the #88 crew, SVG said (via Lee on X)

“I thought I was nice to him for long enough.”

🇦🇺Lee 🇺🇲

@LJSearles

"I thought i was nice to him for long enough" SVG on the #48 #Nascar

Both Shane van Gisbergen and Alex Bowman qualified for this year's playoffs. However, they were eliminated after the Round of 16 elimination race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Now, the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville marks the Round of 8 elimination race with only two transfer spots left.

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe have already secured their spots in the championship race after each winning a race this round. Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson are sitting above the playoffs with at least 36 points above the cutline. The rest of the playoff drivers, William Byron, Joey Logano (defending champion), Ryan Blaney, and Chase Elliott, are in a must-win situation.

SVG is set to conclude his rookie season with at least five wins, making him the second-winningest driver on the current grid behind Hamlin. All the trips to victory lane came on road course races at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, the streets of Chicago, Sonoma Raceway, Watkins Glen International, and the Charlotte Roval.

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“I don't agree with it”: Shane van Gisbergen on Denny Hamlin's greatest road course driver claim

Earlier this month, Shane van Gisbergen disagreed with Denny Hamlin’s comments about him on road courses. Hamlin claimed that SVG is the greatest road course racer in NASCAR ever, to which the New Zealander thought was humbling.

In an interview with Frontstretch, SVG said:

“I don't agree with it, but it's pretty amazing that my peers think that of me. I had some amazing races this year on the road course. My car is obviously very good as well, so thank you to Trackhouse.”

He added:

“But yeah, I'd hopefully race these guys better on ovals, and they start thinking of me (as) a serious competitor on ovals. But pretty humbling for them to say that.”

Shane van Gisbergen drives the #88 Chevrolet Camaro for Trackhouse Racing - Source: Imagn

For 2026, Shane van Gisbergen will remain in the #88 Chevrolet Camaro with Trackhouse Racing. He will race alongside Ross Chastain and Connor Zilisch, who will replace Daniel Suárez. It won’t be the first time SVG and Zilisch have raced together, as they were teammates in the Rolex 24 before the 2025 NASCAR season began. Suárez, meanwhile, will move to Spire Motorsports.