Van Gisbergen ready for Daytona 500

Shane van Gisbergen is about to embark on his rookie NASCAR Cup Series season with qualifying tonight for the iconic Daytona 500.

This weekend van Gisbergen’s rookie season will begin with the biggest race of them all, the 67th Daytona 500.

Van Gisbergen will be just the second Supercars driver to do a full NASCAR Cup Series season or compete in the Daytona 500 after Marcos Ambrose paved the way from his Daytona debut in 2009.

The Kiwi will be racing the famous #88 for Trackhouse Racing, where he took an iconic win on debut on the streets of Chicago.

Since then he has made 13 more Cup Series starts in addition to a full NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign last year.

But things are about to get serious as single car qualifying takes place tonight before the Daytona Duels qualifying races take place.

Shane van Gisbergen will race with familiar Weather Tech support at his Daytona 500 debut. image: Supplied

The front row will be set by the fastest two cars in qualifying before the rest of the grid is set from two 60-lap sprints where regular season points are on offer.

When asked to compare his emotions ahead of his NASCAR Cup Series rookie season to being a fresh-faced teenager for Team Kiwi Racing at Oran Park in 2007, he admitted he could not, but feels in a similar position of having to prove himself to the world.

“That was a long time ago, man. It was 2007 that I did that. I don’t really know,” SVG recalled of his Supercars debut.

“I feel like a rookie (at Daytona). I feel like everything is new.

“I feel like I have a lot to learn and improve on and prove myself there. Probably similar to what I thought back then.

“Watching the pre-race stuff last year, being here to spectate the race was awesome. You see the scale of it.

“I remember being on the pre-race grid last year with Justin (Marks) and saying this is awesome – and that was on a Monday when it got rained out. I cannot wait to be in that race with my 88 Trackhouse team.

Shane van Gisbergen at Daytona last year. Photo by Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / LAT Images

“I try mentally to treat it like another race, prepare like I would every other race.

“Try not to get too hyped and focus on doing my thing Sunday.”

Although this will be SVG’s first Daytona 500, he has had a brief taste of the unique drafting required in super speedway racing, having started both the GEICO 500 at Talladega and Coke Zero 400 at Daytona last year.

Whilst he only had a best result of 28th, he did lead a handful of laps and was in the top 10 during the closing stages at Talladega.

Despite admitting he is not yet used to the unique racing, he knows what to expect.

“In this you’re jockeying for position, fuel saving, trying to place yourself in the right spots. There’s so much more to it. It’s fascinating as a driver learning these different skills, placing yourself right for the green-flag starts,” he said.

“I certainly feel like I can be in it now.

“I remember my first Talladega, I’d get in the battles, then people would put me four-wide on purpose just to single me out and send me to the back because they didn’t want me in there. I guess I was driving like an idiot.

Shane van Gisbergen leads the NASCAR Cup Series field at Talladega. Photo by LAT Images

“Now I feel like I can flow with the guys, have the right momentum, judge the runs a bit better.

“The last Talladega I was pushed to the lead and held the lead for a while. Definitely feel like I’m part of it now.

“Happy that I don’t have yellow stripes on my car. I feel like I’m better at it now.”

Van Gisbergen also knows he must be prepared to even wreck his #88 Camaro.

“That (lamb to the slaughter) was in reference to I think the first Talladega I did,” van Gisbergen said.

“I was running good, then four or five laps to go got shuffled to the back.

“I was coming 30th or whatever, came around the last corner, and I was at the back with Kyle Busch.

Shane van Gisbergen finished a strong ninth at the Bowman pre season race.

“There was a crash out of four. Saw it happening. Backed down, but he just stayed flat out, just drove into the crash carelessly and I’m like ‘what are you doing?’

“But they treat the cars here like they’re disposable. There’s another one back at the shop and every point matters.

“I kind of slowed down, second, third gear, wabbled through the shunt, then came across the line.

“He’s still crashing and spinning, the car is completely destroyed. My thing is brand-new, ready to race next week, but he gained three or four spots.

“Just the mentality for these races is so, so different to anything there is.

“I guess I just have to pull my belts tighter and get amongst it.”  

Comparing the pre-race build up to a NASCAR season to Supercars, van Gisbergen said he prefers the racing focused American scene much more to what he experienced in Australia from 2007-2023.

“That’s what we do every week in Supercars. It wouldn’t be as big as this, the media, but so much more to do. It would be spread out. You’d end up pissed off at the world,” he said.

“NASCAR, you turn up, a little bit of media and go racing. It’s all about the racing stuff. I personally enjoy that much more.

“I guess you kind of have to go racing every week, but you’re only there for two or three days and its all about the racing.”

The Duels will be broadcast on Fox Sports from 10.30-14.00 AEDT on Friday, February 14.

Main image: HHP/Andrew Coppley/Supplied

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