The 34-year-old New Zealander is making his NASCAR Cup Collection debut this weekend, driving a 3rd entry for the Trackhouse Racing team.
Trackhouse received simply final weekend at Nashville, and two of the workforce’s 4 victories have come on highway programs. They’ve quick vehicles, and that mixed with Van Gisbergen’s pure ability makes for a harmful mixture – even when he’s a rookie within the class.
Add to that the truth that the Chicago Avenue Course is new for all drivers, and it is no marvel he appeared close to the highest of the velocity charts on Saturday.
The NASCAR debutant was the quickest driver in the one follow session on Saturday and continued to be a menace into qualifying. He superior into the ultimate spherical, regardless of a minor setback when Chase Elliott crashed behind him, forcing the Kiwi to desert his first flying lap.
Within the pole spherical, he shot as much as the highest of the charts, however the Toyota drivers of Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick managed to finest him on their closing run. Even nonetheless, he’ll roll off third on the grid because the highest-qualifying Chevrolet driver.
He ended up simply 0.153s shy of pole, and regardless of being a possible menace for the win, the NASCAR regulars have been very welcoming of SVG.
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing, Improve Well being Chevrolet Camaro
Picture by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Images
“It’s been fairly superior,” he mentioned after qualifying. “Everybody has been very nice and welcoming. It’s been good to talk with the entrance guys who I’ll be racing with tomorrow. It’s been actually cool. My teammates (Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez) have been useful, as nicely. They’re attempting to speak concerning the automotive; brake settings now we have and stuff. Everybody has been actually open, it’s superior.”
Though others could already be calling him a contender for the win, Van Gisbergen would not go that far. “I by no means suppose like. However I do know our preparation has been good and our workforce is succesful, so I simply must do the job.”
NASCAR vs. Supercars
Evaluating it to the automotive he often drives, Van Gisbergen famous each the similarities and the variations between the Gen-7 Cup automotive and Gen3 Supercars.
“It’s sort of in the course of final yr’s Supercar and this yr’s one. It’s higher, it’s fairly cool. It’s very stiff and low and touches lots. They’re very completely different step-up philosophy-wise, I assume, however related in loads of methods too.”
One of many main variations after all is the place he’s sitting within the race automotive, and the observe itself presents its personal distinctive challenges.
“Nicely, I sit on the opposite facet of the automotive, in order that’s the toughest factor. And simply the wall the place the fence is … I ended up hitting the wall on the finish with the precise entrance, so simply misjudged the wall as a result of the entire automotive is on the opposite facet. That’s in all probability probably the most troublesome factor.”
Shane van Gisbergen at Trackhouse
Van Gisbergen’s displaying up to now actually impressed the pole-sitter, with Hamlin being attentive to the Kiwi’s spectacular tempo.
“The most important factor I observed is the man (Van Gisbergen) is lightning quick, and the entire corners I really feel tremendous uncomfortable utilizing that additional three inches towards the wall. So, the place the observe is the narrowest and the place you noticed Chase (Elliott) and people guys sort of get into the wall is the place he’s extraordinarily quick.
“He’s simply bought a really feel for these obstacles and the automotive management that he has. That’s his benefit proper now’s that we’re not used to having to chop the corners that tight and he’s. It’s been spectacular what he’s completed at the moment for certain.”