“You’ve really screwed all these guys”: AJ Allmendinger believes Shane van Gisbergen has raised the bar for Supercars drivers in NASCAR

AJ Allmendinger has offered a blunt explanation for why Shane van Gisbergen’s impact in NASCAR has changed the way other Supercars drivers are viewed. The veteran driver reflected on his former Kaulig Racing teammate’s rise and admitted the Kiwi has set a new standard that others have struggled to match.

SVG has enjoyed one of the most successful rookie years in Cup Series history. Driving the 88 car for Trackhouse Racing, he has scored four wins this year, the second most in the field, with all of them coming on road courses. His run has inspired the likes of Will Brown, Cam Waters, Jack Perkins, and others to explore stock car opportunities.

But Allmendinger was quick to point out that following SVG’s path is not nearly as easy as it looks. Speaking on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, he said:

"The dude is all world, right? You go win three championships over there. I was joking with him... I was like, 'You've really screwed all these Australian guys and New Zealand guys trying to come over.' And he's like, 'What do you mean?' And I'm like, 'Because, they just look at you and go, oh, I mean, he's smoking everybody. I mean, I'm sure we can come over there in the road courses and do it.'" (19:16 onwards)

AJ Allmendinger went further, saying SVG’s dominance has created unfair expectations for other Supercars stars.

Shane van Gisbergen (97) during race 2 of the 2022 Adelaide 500. Source: Getty

"I'm like, they don't realize like the reason they're winning races now is because you got tired of kicking their a*s. And now you want to come over and abuse us. So, they come over and like they're good but they're not amazing. And so I'm like yeah you you've screwed that whole series and country. Good job man."

Shane van Gisbergen’s own journey is unique. A three-time Supercars champion, he arrived in NASCAR under the Trackhouse developmental program, sharing Kaulig Racing’s No. 16 entry with Allmendinger in 2024.

While SVG made 12 starts and AJ ran 16, the Kiwi immediately showed his speed, adding strong results across road courses. His full-time switch to Trackhouse Racing’s No. 88 Chevrolet this season has delivered three poles and six top-10 finishes, five of them on road courses, including wins at Mexico City, Sonoma, Watkins Glen, and Chicago.

By contrast, the Supercars drivers who followed him have not enjoyed the same success. Will Brown’s Cup debut at Sonoma in 2024 ended in 31st place. Jack Perkins managed only 32nd in the Xfinity race at Chicago this summer. Even in the Truck Series, Marcos Ambrose failed to make an impact while SVG scored a debut win at Chicago in 2023. For Allmendinger, that gap is exactly what makes Shane van Gisbergen’s feats so remarkable, and so difficult to replicate.

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Shane van Gisbergen after first oval top-10: "I feel like we’re getting better and better"

Shane Van Gisbergen sits on pit road at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Source: Getty

For all his road-course talent, Shane Van Gisbergen’s progress on ovals has been the biggest storyline of his rookie campaign. Until Kansas, his best Cup oval result was 12th at Martinsville with Kaulig Racing in 2024. With Trackhouse Racing this year, he had managed a pair of 14th-place finishes at Charlotte and Richmond.

That changed in Kansas, where the 35-year-old Kiwi battled back from early setbacks to score his first career oval top-10. The drive was far from straightforward. SVG was without his regular crew chief, Stephen Doran, who was ejected before the race after unapproved changes were found on the No. 88 car.

Interim crew chief Chais Eliason and SVG were penalized with a stop-and-go penalty at the start. He then went a lap down early but fought back onto the lead lap after Stage 2. The 88 climbed to the front during the overtime restarts, finishing ahead of teammates Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez in P10.

"It's really cool to get a top-10 finish at Kansas Speedway. I feel like we’re getting better and better at these tracks. It was difficult starting a lap down and having that penalty, but Chais Eliason did a great job. We had really good speed at points of the race, so I’m stoked to get a top-10. I’m over the moon with that," van Gisbergen told NBC.

While AJ Allmendinger’s day ended with a DNF, SVG’s performance showed progress. Despite being eliminated in the Round of 16, he sits 14th in the standings with 2086 points, and 13th remains within reach.

Next up is the Charlotte ROVAL, a track where Shane van Gisbergen claimed pole in 2024 before finishing seventh. With more experience and no playoff pressure, he returns as one of the favorites to spoil the playoff picture.