SHANE van Gisbergen has paid tribute to Australian NASCAR Cup Series driver Marcos Ambrose, as his acclimation to stock car racing continues.
Talking with Greg Rust on the Rusty’s Garage podcast, van Gisbergen noted the assistance Ambrose has offered is now coming to the fore, having turned in a string of improved performances on ovals.
Although the pair are in communication less this year, the guidance is still bearing fruit.
“I used to pester him every week last year, especially when I was going to new tracks and it’s just amazing,” said van Gisbergen.
“Some of the stuff he talked about and the way he described the cars, I haven’t really felt that until this year, like how you sort of just slump in the seat and let the car do what it does underneath you.
“It’s taken me a while to feel that.
“You just relax in the seat and let the car do the work and ignore all the sliding and let the air take over.
“How he described that stuff, I just was mind blown… he was amazing, almost a coach.
“What an amazing guy… but also how well respected he is here.
“Everyone loves him, everyone speaks highly of him and it’s so cool.
“You know, you say the word, the name Marcos Ambrose here and everyone just lights up and has good memories of him.”
Van Gisbergen’s rookie season has seen him claim five race wins, while his recent form on ovals has included a tenth at Kansas and an 11th place result yesterday at Talladega.
Currently in the standings, SVG is placed 12th, at the head of the pack of drivers that were eliminated in the Round of 16, and also ahead of Austin Cindric.
The compare and contrast between the rookie seasons of van Gisbergen and Ambrose makes for interesting reading.
Ambrose had a longer runway to his first full NASCAR Cup Series tilt, having completed a season in the Truck Series and two years in what is now the Xfinity Series, while van Gisbergen has been elevated to Cup from a single year in the Xfinity Series.
While the calendar now features six road courses, in 2009, it only featured two – Sonoma and Watkins Glen.
Despite this, Ambrose still recorded seven top ten performances, with oval top tens at Bristol (twice), Talladega, Pocono and Daytona – he finished fourth at the first Talladega race when Carl Edwards was dispatched into the catch fence by Brad Keslowski, and third at the Bristol Night Race.
Ultimately, in that pre-Playoff era, Ambrose finished 18th in points.
Van Gisbergen, meanwhile, will be looking to add to his seven top-ten finishes for 2025 this weekend in Martinsville.