Shane van Gisbergen reveals expectations for rookie season in NASCAR Cup Series

This season will be the rookie year for Shane van Gisbergen in the NASCAR Cup Series even though he already has a win in his career. When it comes to expectations for 2025, there are a lot from fans and media. But for SVG? He’s just going to go race.

The three-time Supercars champion has achieved a lot in his life behind the wheel. The Cup Series will be an entirely different challenge as he takes on the entire 38-week schedule.

When asked by Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports about expectations, Shane van Gisbegen dismissed the notion. He doesn’t set goals. The only thing he is worried about is going out and competing.

“I don’t know, I don’t have any expectations for it, but I guess it’s another learning year again because the cars are so different,” van Gisbergen explained. “Of course, the results are going to have to start coming and improving on the oval side. Yeah, I don’t really know. I guess naturally I felt like I was getting a lot better and better last year and then at the end, I don’t know, leveled out in Xfinity with a few other exterior things happening. But my Cup stuff definitely got better.”

Again, Shane van Gisbergen has no goals. Whatever happens is going to happen.

“I don’t go racing with goals, so I don’t really know.”

That is, in my opinion, the way a championship-level driver approaches things. When he came to Chicago in 2023 for the street race, I’m not sure he had the expectation that he was going to win. Still, he went out and did it.

Shane van Gisbergen could win multiple races in 2025

With races at Chicago, Mexico City, and Watkins Glen – there is a real chance Shane van Gisbergen picks up not just one but multiple wins this season. There are a handful of road course and street course tracks this season on the schedule opening the path to the playoffs for SVG in his rookie season.

Let’s also point out that the COTA configuration will be different this season. It will no longer be the full course but a modified shorter course. This will help with making the track racier and letting fans see more of the action. But it is the same configuration that Supercars raced in an exhibition at COTA years ago which SVG participated in, perhaps an advantage?

Between SVG and Connor Zilisch, Trackhouse Racing has the best road course drivers in NASCAR signed to their team. Both will race at COTA, with Zilisch making his Cup debut. Honestly, throw in Daniel Suárez and Ross Chastain – does any Cup organization have a better road course roster?

Shane van Gisbergen is coming to the Cup Series full-time. He managed a top-10 finish in the Clash at Bowman Gray in an impressive showing. Will that success continue to Daytona?