Shane van Gisbergen does not attribute his missed Chase berth to the Daytona incident alone; he views the whole season’s performance as the deciding factor.
He acknowledges that both controllable and uncontrollable factors played a role.
Heading into the season finale, Van Gisbergen held a 31‑point advantage, which he increased after winning Stage 1 when Ryan Preece finished eighth following a spin from the lead. The result seemed decisive at the time.
Nevertheless, Preece won the race, outscoring Van Gisbergen 67 to 19 overall. The deficit was exacerbated when Van Gisbergen had to pit from inside the top‑15, ultimately collecting damage in a crash. The Trackhouse No. 97 team later questioned whether he had enough fuel to reach the finish.
Crew chief Stephen Doran brought him in for fuel, hoping fresh tires would let him advance through the field and recover the lost points, but the strategy failed.
“We’re currently at a slight disadvantage compared to the other manufacturers in terms of fuel mileage, which forced us to pit,” Van Gisbergen told Motorsport.com on Tuesday. “We likely would have run out of fuel otherwise. The competitors who finished ahead were not driving Chevrolets, indicating we need to improve in this area.”
“I could have conserved fuel a bit more during the stage; looking back, I wish I had handled it differently. However, as I noted after the race, a single weekend isn’t responsible for missing the Chase—our points shortfall built up over the rest of the season, and I don’t hold that one event solely accountable for the outcome.”
Overall, Van Gisbergen has finished outside the top‑30 on eight occasions this season, one of which occurred at San Diego, where he was leading until a restart incident with Austin Hill eliminated him.
Still, the No. 97 entry was the strongest of Trackhouse’s three cars this season, performing well even on ovals. Van Gisbergen competed effectively alongside Ross Chastain and Connor Zilisch, demonstrating he can handle a full 38‑race NASCAR schedule.
Does this performance validate his choice to pursue a full‑time NASCAR career three years ago?
“I don’t seek validation for anything, but I still enjoy the sport immensely,” Van Gisbergen said. “I love the challenge of racing and the chance to win each week alongside my teammates—a connection that felt lacking last year.”
“I felt I was getting close to Daniel Suárez last season, yet Ross Chastain remained a step ahead. Now I’m pleased to have narrowed that gap on ovals, and I recognize there’s still plenty to improve. While there are aspects of my game that need work, I welcome the challenge.”
