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Shane van Gisbergen Interview

SPEED with Harvick and Buxton Apr 08, 2026 24 min

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About this episode

Shane van Gisbergen talks Daytona, the Daytona 500’s unique “season starts now” pressure, and how oval racing demands precision far beyond “just turning left.” He explains why ovals still feel bizarre when the car loads into banking, and how he keeps learning with an open mind and a growing playbook. The conversation covers adapting from road courses and other series, NASCAR’s qualifying/points challenges, team dynamics with Ross Chastain and Connor Zilisch, and his career path built on taking opportunities. He also shares legend car stories, food cravings, and future goals like Nürburgring 24 and rally.

Topics: daytona 500 anticipation oval racing precision and banking feel adapting driving styles across disciplines nascAR qualifying and stage points strategy team dynamics with ross chastain and connor zilisch why international oval drivers are undervalued practice and tire management differences career path and taking opportunities legend car experiences and racing roughness future race goals: nurburgring 24 and rally

Cars: Porsche Boxster

Shane van Gisbergen breaks down why NASCAR is more difficult than it looks, his progression learning oval racing, the challenge of competing at Daytona, and the debate over whether drivers like Max Verstappen could succeed in stock cars. On this episode of SPEED With Harvick and Buxton, Kevin Harvick and Will Buxton sit down with van Gisbergen to discuss what makes Daytona so special, how he has improved on ovals since joining NASCAR, why the discipline is tougher than other forms of motorsport, which drivers he would like to see try NASCAR, his interest in potentially racing the INDY 500, how he has adapted from Supercars to NASCAR road courses, and his thoughts on rising talents like Connor Zilisch. Chapters:0:00 Intro0:45 Shane van Gisbergen Joins The Show!1:15 Driving In The Daytona 5003:45 Developing On Ovals5:15 Difficulties Of Racing In NASCAR8:00 Adapting To NASCAR Road Courses11:40 Driving Legend Cars12:40 Races He Wants To Try14:20 Determining The Best Driver In The World16:30 Significance Of Driving The No. 9717:25 Wildest American Food18:15 Expectations For The 2026 Season20:15 Difficulties Of Making The Jump To The Cup Series22:10 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Technical Too Afraid to Ask

Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Porsche Boxster

"..., everyone, and welcome to Speed with Harvick and Boxster. Let's talk some racing."

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