Kevin Harvick reacts to Shane van Gisbergen racing full-time in NASCAR Cup Series, why Trackhouse did it
Shane van Gisbergen will compete in the NASCAR Cup Series full-time next year, and Kevin Harvick has some interesting thoughts about it. On Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, Harvick shared his reaction to van Gisbergen making the move and why Trackhouse Racing is taking a chance on him.
“To me, it’s about being able to be in position and putting yourself in the playoffs, taking a chance and saying we feel like we’re going to win one of these road courses with SVG in the car,” Harvick said. “I feel like that’s what Justin Marks is saying to himself and his team and his situation, and saying we’re going to win one of these races, and we’re going to put ourselves in the playoffs with one of our cars right here.”
Harvick also talked about van Gisbergen being more comfortable in Cup cars compared to Xfinity cars. “One of the things he talks about is the skew in the Xfinity cars and how that’s so abnormal to him. He’s then in the Cup cars and he talks about, ‘Oh this feels normal. The car’s going straight. …I can learn more in the Cup car than I can in the Xfinity car because it feels more appropriate to what I have done with the rest of my career,'” Harvick said.
Shane van Gisbergen ready for the ‘learning curve’ in Cup Series
“It will be interesting to see his progression, but yes, trying to put yourself in a position to win races on the road courses, it’s a definite conversation starter to say okay, well we can put ourselves in a position to win and he can learn at the same time on the ovals. I think with Zane [Smith], he had a terrible start to the year, has had some decent runs over the past little bit.”
SVG moves to the Cup Series full-time after competing in the Xfinity Series full-time this year. During his career, van Gisbergen has won three Xfinity Series races and one Cup Series race which was the Grant Park 220 in Chicago last year.
“This is what I have planned for and I am ready,” van Gisbergen said in a news release. “I know there is a tough learning curve ahead, but the best way to learn is to go out and do it. I feel I have made progress running the Xfinity Series this year with Kaulig Racing and I can’t thank everyone there enough. I look forward to the Cup Series. Those drivers and teams are the best in the world and it will be an honor to be part of their races.”