Shane Van Gisbergen Bio
Shane Robert van Gisbergen (born 9 May 1989) is a New Zealand professional racing driver. Competing under the initials SVG and the nickname “The Giz,” he drives full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series for Trackhouse Racing, piloting the No. 97 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. He also runs a part-time schedule in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with JR Motorsports in the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro SS. Standing 187 cm tall and weighing 80 kg, van Gisbergen is widely regarded as one of the most successful touring car drivers of his generation.
Before arriving in NASCAR, van Gisbergen built a decorated career in the Supercars Championship, capturing three drivers’ titles in 2016, 2021, and 2022. He amassed 80 race wins and 46 pole positions in Supercars, placing him fourth on the all-time wins list, and he is a three-time winner of the Bathurst 1000 (2020, 2022, 2023). His transition to stock car racing produced one of the most remarkable debuts in modern motorsport history.
Early Life and Background
Shane Robert van Gisbergen was born on 9 May 1989 in Auckland, New Zealand, to parents Robert van Gisbergen and Karen Wallace. Growing up in a country with deep ties to motorsport, he was introduced to racing at a young age and quickly gravitated toward competitive driving. Like many aspiring New Zealand racers, he developed his craft on a variety of grassroots platforms, eventually finding his niche behind the wheel of single-seaters and touring cars.
Van Gisbergen progressed through karting and junior formulas, building the technical foundation that would later support his versatile career. His early results in domestic competition signaled the arrival of a special talent, and he earned recognition for his smooth driving style and race craft. These formative years in New Zealand shaped the disciplined, confident racer who would soon challenge the best in the Southern Hemisphere and beyond.
Path to NASCAR
Van Gisbergen’s path to NASCAR was unconventional. After dominating the Supercars Championship and several GT events, he was announced in May 2023 as the driver of Trackhouse Racing’s No. 91 Chevrolet for the inaugural Chicago Street Course race, a program designed to bring world-class talent into NASCAR. The Chicago debut became one of the most memorable storylines in recent stock car history, as he won the race in his first Cup Series start, becoming the first driver in the modern era and the first since Johnny Rutherford in 1963 to win on Cup debut.
Following his Chicago victory, Trackhouse Racing expanded its relationship with van Gisbergen, announcing a multi-series development deal for 2024. He joined Kaulig Racing for a full NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign in the No. 97, gaining crucial oval and road-course experience while running a partial Cup slate. His steady progression through the NASCAR ladder prepared him for a full-time Cup Series promotion with Trackhouse Racing beginning in 2025.
Shane Van Gisbergen Career
Early Career (2007–2012)
Van Gisbergen made his V8 Supercars debut in 2007 with Team Kiwi Racing at Oran Park Raceway, becoming the 200th driver to start a Supercars Championship race. His performances attracted the attention of Stone Brothers Racing, and he joined the team in 2008, where he would spend the next five seasons. Working alongside experienced engineers and teammates, he developed into one of the championship’s rising stars, achieving a career-best fourth place in the 2011 standings.
In 2013, he moved to Tekno Autosports, a switch that produced immediate results. With Tekno, he finished runner-up in the 2014 championship, signaling that he was ready to contend for the title. During this period, he also began exploring GT racing opportunities, building the versatility that would later prove valuable in his NASCAR career.
Triple Eight Era (2016–2022)
In 2016, van Gisbergen joined the powerhouse Triple Eight Race Engineering team alongside Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes. The pairing delivered immediate success: he won his first race for the team at the Tasmania SuperSprint and went on to capture the 2016 Supercars Championship, becoming the first New Zealander to lift the Jason Richards Trophy. He also won the 2016 Enduro Cup with co-driver Alexandre Prémat.
He added two more Supercars titles in 2021 and 2022, while also tasting major endurance success. Van Gisbergen won the Bathurst 1000 in 2020, 2022, and 2023, and added the 2016 Bathurst 12 Hour to his résumé in a McLaren 650S GT3. He also finished second in the 2015 24 Hours of Daytona GTD class and won the 2016 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, cementing his reputation as one of the most complete GT and touring car drivers in the world.
NASCAR Cup Series Breakthrough (2023–2024)
Van Gisbergen’s NASCAR Cup Series story began with a thunderous debut win at the 2023 Grant Park 220 in Chicago. Driving the No. 91 for Trackhouse Racing, he became the first New Zealander to win a Cup Series race and the first driver since Johnny Rutherford in 1963 to win in his Cup debut. He followed that with a strong run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, becoming the first driver since Terry Labonte in 1978 to start a Cup career with back-to-back top-ten finishes.
In 2024, he contested a full NASCAR Xfinity Series season with Kaulig Racing in the No. 97, winning at Portland, Sonoma, and Chicago. He also ran twelve Cup Series races for Kaulig, scoring his first career Cup pole at the Charlotte Roval and finishing runner-up at Watkins Glen after a last-lap battle with Chris Buescher. These results established him as a serious contender ahead of his full-time Cup promotion.
Trackhouse Racing Era (2025–Present)
Trackhouse Racing announced in August 2024 that van Gisbergen would drive full-time in the Cup Series in 2025, originally in the No. 88 Chevrolet. Following his Mexico City win and continued road-course dominance, the team revealed on 7 November 2025 that he would return in 2026 for a second full-time Cup season, this time in the No. 97 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. He also runs part-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for JR Motorsports in the No. 9.
Despite a slow start to 2025, including a 33rd-place finish in the Daytona 500, van Gisbergen found his form on road courses. He won at Mexico City by 16 seconds, swept the Xfinity and Cup races at Chicago, won again at Sonoma, and added a fourth victory at Watkins Glen, surpassing Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson’s rookie-season win records. He was eliminated at Bristol but closed his season with a fifth straight road-course win at the Charlotte Roval.
Driving Style and Strengths
Van Gisbergen’s driving style is defined by smoothness, precision, and elite tire management, qualities developed across Supercars, GT3, and stock car disciplines. His road-course instincts and ability to build a pace differential over long runs make him a threat on every technical circuit. A short-run qualifying ace, he pairs that single-lap speed with a calm, calculating approach to traffic and strategy.
Notable Races and Milestones
His list of signature moments includes the 2023 Chicago Cup debut win, three Bathurst 1000 victories (2020, 2022, 2023), and the 2016 Bathurst 12 Hour. He is one of only two drivers, along with Paul Morris, to win the Bathurst 1000, Bathurst 6 Hour, and Bathurst 12 Hour. In 2025, he became the winningest non-American driver in Cup Series history and the winningest rookie in a single Cup season.
Shane Van Gisbergen Career Wins
Van Gisbergen has built a deep and varied trophy cabinet across Supercars, GT racing, and NASCAR. His 80 Supercars victories rank fourth on the all-time list, and his three Supercars championships (2016, 2021, 2022) place him among the greatest Australian touring car drivers of his era. Since moving to NASCAR, he has added multiple Xfinity Series wins and a growing list of Cup Series victories on road and street courses.
Cup Series Highlights
Van Gisbergen’s Cup Series wins include the 2023 Chicago Street Course, the 2025 Mexico City race, the 2025 Chicago race, the 2025 Sonoma race, the 2025 Watkins Glen race, and the 2025 Charlotte Roval. He became the first driver in the modern era to win his Cup Series debut and the first New Zealander to win in the series. His 2025 rookie campaign set new benchmarks for road-course dominance.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the Cup Series, van Gisbergen has enjoyed major success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing and JR Motorsports, including wins at Portland, Sonoma, and Chicago. His Supercars résumé includes three Bathurst 1000 crowns, and in GT racing he owns a Bathurst 12 Hour win, a Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup title, and a runner-up finish at the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Shane Van Gisbergen Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Van Gisbergen was raised in Auckland by his father, Robert van Gisbergen, and his mother, Karen Wallace. His New Zealand upbringing provided the foundation for a career in motorsport, and his family supported his progression through karting, junior formulas, and into the upper levels of the sport. His racing lineage is rooted in the strong New Zealand and Australian motorsport community that has produced champions across multiple disciplines.
Personal Life
In 2025, van Gisbergen married Jessica Dane, the current program manager at Corvette Racing. Jessica and her father, Roland Dane, were co-owners at Triple Eight Race Engineering, the team where Shane won three Supercars championships. The couple’s shared motorsport background has been a notable storyline alongside his rising NASCAR career.
2025 Season Performance
Van Gisbergen’s 2025 Cup Series rookie season was a tale of two storylines. He opened with a 33rd-place finish at the Daytona 500 and struggled to find consistency during the early oval-heavy portion of the schedule, posting only one top-ten result in the first 15 races. Questions about his oval viability grew louder as road-course heavy stretches loomed ahead.
The turning point came at Mexico City, where he dominated by 16 seconds to secure a Cup playoff berth. He then reeled off consecutive road-course wins at Chicago, Sonoma, and Watkins Glen, tying and then surpassing the rookie single-season win record held by Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson. He was eliminated at Bristol but closed the year with a fifth straight road-course victory at the Charlotte Roval. He also won the Xfinity Series race at Chicago for JR Motorsports, sweeping the Xfinity and Cup events from pole on the same weekend.
Looking ahead, Trackhouse Racing confirmed on 7 November 2025 that van Gisbergen will return for a second full-time Cup season in 2026, now driving the iconic No. 97. With oval tracks and a deeper team chemistry, his 2026 outlook centers on diversifying his results beyond road courses and contending for playoff advancement deep into the fall.