From the streets of international racing circuits to the roaring arenas of NASCAR, few journeys have been as swift and captivating as Shane van Gisbergen’s. A prodigy in Supercars, SVG carved out a dynasty, collecting three Bathurst 1000 victories and dozens of wins across the Australian category, before branching into international GT endurance events and grabbing headlines with fast results in one-off outings. The cross-disciplinary resume mattered when Trackhouse handed him a one-race Project 91 Cup debut in Chicago in 2023, where he seized the moment and won on debut. That unlikely Chicago miracle didn’t just change one race, it rewired the opportunities available to him and set the stage for a fast, unconventional climb into America’s top stock-car paddock.
With Trackhouse Racing in 2025, in 23 Cup starts, he has racked up three wins, in Mexico City, Chicago Street Course, and Sonoma, 3 poles, 3 top-5s, 4 top-10s, and led 208 laps, placing 25th in series points with 398, an impressive feat for a rookie adapting quickly to Cup competition. This year also marked Trackhouse ‘s significant long-term commitment by signing its standout rookie to a multi-year contract extension. SVG, reflecting on the rapid evolution of his NASCAR journey, said, “I feel like Trackhouse Racing is my home … I’ve been loving every minute of it.” Team owner Justin Marks praised the growth, adding, “What we are asking him to do carries a high degree of difficulty … He’s one of the greatest.” This deal not only rewards SVG’s road-course dominance and rapid adaptation to oval racing but also cements Trackhouse’s confidence in building its future Cup program around him. Based on his projected net worth, the speculated deal range could be around 5 to 10 million, but the exact financial terms are yet to be disclosed. And now, Trackhouse has come up front talking about the deal for the first time.
Shane van Gisbergen building a legacy beyond the checkered flag
“This has been a really, really fun project for the company,” said Marks, on being asked about the contract extension. “Obviously, everything happened really, really quickly from Chicago to the truck race a couple weeks later, and then the Indy Cup race, and then a season of Xfinity, and now full-time in the Cup Series for Shane.” What started as a wildcard opportunity turned into a carefully calibrated rise. In Mexico City, SVG turned wet-weather chaos into a dominant victory, a performance he had prepped for with advice from Max Verstappen on track grip nuances. It wasn’t just about road-course brilliance; Trackhouse watched a marathon of Xfinity and Cup outings unfold at record pace, echoing Mark’s sense that something special was happening.
And yet, Marks pointed to something deeper fueling his confidence. “But I think what excites us at Trackhouse more than anything is his speed of development on the ovals… with just a lack of experience on the ovals, just his talent and work ethic, and showing his progression on the ovals has put our company in a position where we feel excited and comfortable to make a longer-term commitment to Shane.” This speaks to the crucial transition, mastering NASCAR staples like superspeedway and intermediate ovals. Early in SVG’s Cup run, he struggled on ovals, often outside the top 30, but recent efforts saw steady improvement, including a career-best 14th-place finish at the grueling Coca-Cola 600, more competitive runs at Atlanta, and a Legends car win at Charlotte, drawing praise for his study habits and adaptability.
With both road and oval potential cemented, the stage was set for Trackhouse to make its move. Marks then sealed the moment. “We think he’s got an oval win in him in the Cup Series, and things are just coming together and really starting to gel,” Marks continued. “It was just a good time to make a commitment to each other, and we’re thrilled that he accepted the offer, and we just get back to work and keep doing what we’ve been doing.” SVG is set to make a mark as one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history, as agreed on by legends like Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr., noting how far he has come in just two seasons. From overseas standout to NASCAR’s winningest foreign-born driver, the Kiwi driver has dominated across three road-course wins and a playoff position secured.
But the magic of the deal is what SVG has to say about being part of the crew. “It’s been an amazing couple of years, as Justin touched on, how it’s all snowballed and how we’ve been going,” said SVG, talking about the deal. “It’s been a cool team to be a part of, and the win lunches we’ve been doing, seeing how much it means to everyone and… it’s cool to build a relationship with everyone there, and I’ve just been loving every minute. So, yeah, looking forward to doing it for a few more years. ” A vivid image emerges through his statements: victory celebrations shared around a lunch table, palpable team camaraderie, respect earned. The sense of belonging brings depth to the deal. This isn’t a driver’s contract, it’s a coming-of-age moment, both personal and professional.
SVG also posted a picture of his Trackhouse family on Instagram, writing, “Very happy to extend with @teamtrackhouse! The team have helped me feel at home in this new challenge and I’ve been loving every minute of it. We still have a lot of work to do, but couldn’t be happier.” With culture, chemistry, and conversions complete, that leaves one lingering question: What is next for Trackhouse with SVG locked in?
How Trackhouse flipped its 2025 NASCAR script
Just a year ago, Trackhouse Racing looked like it had stalled out. In 2024, the team scored only one NASCAR Cup Series win, missed the top 15 in points, and faced growing doubts about Justin Marks’ ambitious plans. Ross Chastain struggled with inconsistency, Daniel Suárez went winless, and the early buzz around the organization seemed to have faded. The sharp rise of 2022 and 2023 looked like it had peaked.
Everything changed in 2025, starting with Chastain’s spectacular Coca-Cola 600 triumph from last place on the grid. “We all started rough,” SVG recalled. “And then Ross winning the 600… and then the next three for us.” That early spark set the tone for Trackhouse’s record-setting season, with SVG emerging as the star of a five-win campaign, the most in team history. “As a team, I think it’s the most wins Trackhouse has ever had,” he noted, underscoring the depth of the turnaround.
The Kiwi ace has delivered three Cup Series victories this year, owing to which he reflected, “…having the one win at Mexico was pretty cool. And then yeah, the next couple cherries on top’s been pretty awesome.” Backed by Trackhouse’s expansion to a third charter and Marks’ strategic reshuffling, including parting ways with Suárez for 2026, the team now finds itself as the championship threat it since aspired to be.
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