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Shane van Gisbergen, top, celebrates in victory lane after winning a NASCAR Cup Series race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., on Sunday. (AP photo)<\/p>\n
Labeling statistics as \u201ckind of an American thing,\u201d Shane van Gisbergen avoids dwelling on his record-setting rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt normally hits me on the plane ride home or at 4 a.m. after a few beers,\u201d van Gisbergen said Sunday after conquering the Watkins Glen International road course in New York for his fourth victory this year. \u201cI try to reflect on it, but I also try and get to the next week pretty quick. I\u2019ll try not to tweet at 4 a.m. this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n
If the laid-back Kiwi were into chest-pounding on social media, the list of heady accomplishments includes being the third driver with four consecutive Cup wins on road or street courses, joining 2020 champion Chase Elliott and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon.<\/p>\n
It also includes being the first rookie with four victories \u2014 breaking a tie with seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson and three-time champion Tony Stewart \u2014 and the largest margin of victory (11.116 seconds) in Watkins Glen history and second largest this season behind his 16.567-second win at Mexico City that was the biggest gap from first to second since 2009.<\/p>\n
The next achievement could be the loftiest yet for the driver from Auckland, New Zealand, who struggles massively on the ovals that comprise most of the season.<\/p>\n
Can van Gisbergen be a legitimate championship contender in Year 1?<\/p>\n
Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks, who put his reputation on the line and convinced sponsors to risk millions on an audacious plan to make the Cup playoffs with an inexperienced and unheralded rookie, suggests a deep run awaits the No. 88 Chevrolet.<\/p>\n
\u201cShane just continues to go showcase why we\u2019ve made a long-term commitment to him, why we brought him over here from New Zealand and built this team around him,\u201d said Marks, who signed van Gisbergen to a multiyear extension last week. \u201cBecause in a sport like this where winning is so important and so hard to do, if you can catch some lightning in a bottle like we\u2019ve got with SVG, you\u2019ve got to really lean into it. That\u2019s what we\u2019ve done. It\u2019s like seeing a plan come together.\u201d<\/p>\n
The plan now has a path to the doorstep of a Cup title.<\/p>\n
The first round of 16 drivers is contested on three ovals, but van Gisbergen has a sizable 22-point cushion (victories are worth five points apiece for the playoffs) to overcome a 26.9 average finish on ovals.<\/p>\n
Pared down to 12 drivers, the second round features a road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway. A win there would catapult a driver into the third round, where eight drivers will square off for four berths in the championship finale at Phoenix Raceway.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s in a really good position,\u201d Marks said. \u201cI think we have a real opportunity to get to the Round of 8.\u201d![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/8-13-6b-nascar-323x500.jpg\")
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