Australian Supercars veteran Shane van Gisbergen has had ample time in the Xfinity Series. So much so that an intense rivalry is already brewing. It all began at the Circuit of The Americas in early March. Whilst the Kiwi was the most promising candidate for a win that day, RCR’s Austin Hill used up the #97 Kaulig Racing driver to push himself into the lead. Whilst SVG retaliated, both drivers ended up at the losing end, while Kyle Larson walked home with the win.
Fast-forward to Sonoma Raceway and SVG had the last laugh as he repeated the favor and sidelined Austin Hill for a visit to victory lane. While the Australian Supercars champion may have his fair share of differences from his Xfinity counterparts, the Kiwi also revealed that not every rivalry is as troublesome.
SVG is optimistic about relations in the paddock despite the feud with Austin Hill
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With nearly half a full-time season in the Xfinity Series under his belt, Shane van Gisbergen has gotten familiar with nearly every driver on the grid. From intense battles with Kyle Larson to beating Justin Allgaier at Portland to secure his first Xfinity win, the Kiwi now has a good idea of how heated on-track action can get. That being said, no driver seems to have a grievance with SVG that could resonate with his Austin Hill rivalry.
Appearing on ListnrSport’s podcast, the Kaulig Racing driver shared insight into his relations with the Xfinity paddock. SVG stated, “Most have been very good, I’ve only had a problem with one guy (Austin Hill), he took me out at COTA and then I got him back at Sonoma, but everyone else is awesome. We’ve had some hard battles, I’ve spun a guy, he’s got me back and we spoke about it after and we’re sweet, you just shake hands and get on with it.”
Compared to his feuds with Austin Hill, other drivers seemed to have kept SVG in their good books regardless of any run-ins. For SVG, wrecking someone intentionally is a rather far-fetched idea. After all, you can only hide from the feud only until the next race weekend. Fortunately, the Kiwi seems to have built good relations with all around him in the Xfinity and Cup series.
Gisbergen further stated, “It’s pretty hard to want to crash into someone because you gotta see them the next week, and you always tend to be racing the same guys every week. Especially on the Ovals, you kind of find where your level is at and you’re racing those guys every week. But yeah, most guys are pretty nice.”
Apart from the competition, the Kiwi also highlighted how close-knit his relationship with Trackhouse Racing teammates Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez has become over the season. The 35-year-old concluded, “Ross, Daniel, and I, we get along well, talk about the cars a lot and you know, Ross and I go around most weeks together so it’s pretty cool here, how it all works.”
While the Australian Supercars champion is still getting to grips with NASCAR’s cut-throat nature, there’s one aspect of the sport that has truly impressed the newcomer.
‘I feel like I can be myself here’ – The Kiwi has nothing but praise for American media
It’s no secret that Shane van Gisbergen hasn’t had the best relationship with the Australian media. Just last year, the Kiwi had a standoff with insider Chad Neylon during a press conference. SVG was coming off a miserable outing at the 2023 Supercars season opener, which made him dismiss Neylon’s questions during the conference. This then led to many motorsport veterans calling out the Kiwi, creating a rather unwarranted controversy.
Fortunately, Shane van Gisbergen’s time in the States has been relatively different, and easier. Explaining the stark contrast between how the Australian motorsport media approached coverage to the Americans, SVG shared; “It’s hard, as you know, I’ve always kind of struggled with the media side of things, but you know, I feel Australian media are always looking for the slip-up, always looking for the headline.”
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SVG had initially felt he was more prone to reporters picking apart his words and creating exaggerated angles. But in comparison, American motorsport media outlets seemed to be different. The Kiwi further added, “I always would answer in Australia, guarded. Like I was thinking too much about what I was going to say and not wanting to say the wrong thing. Whereas here, I feel like you can be yourself and then you’re appreciated for it. They write what you say.”
USA Today via Reuters Jul 2, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Shane Van Gisbergen (91) races along Grant Park during the Grant Park 220 of the Chicago Street Race at Chicago Street Race. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
According to SVG, NASCAR media wasn’t as aggressive with their assumptions and questions as their Australian Supercars counterparts. At the same time, the key focus also seemed to differ.
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He concluded, “The stories generally seem to be positive here, and it just kind of snowballs. Whereas in Australia….they’re always driving the negative to get the clicks in the short term and it just drags everything down. I feel like I can be myself here and not get away with it but people appreciate and enjoy that, which is cool.”
After taking a look at SVG’s candid comparison between NASCAR and Australian Supercars media, do you think the Kiwi will soon get over his hesitation with interviews?