Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour presented by NASCAR on FOX - Shane van Gisbergen Interview After Winning at Watkins Glen | VICTORY LAP

Episode Date: May 12, 2026

Shane van Gisbergen breaks down his massive Watkins Glen International victory, playoff implications, Trackhouse Racing chemistry, NASCAR road course dominance, Ross Chastain relationship, post-race celebration, and the biggest moments from one of the most revealing NASCAR interviews of the year. On this episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, Kaitlyn Vincie sits down with Shane van Gisbergen to discuss how he captured his first NASCAR Cup Series win of the season at Watkins Glen, what makes him so dangerous on road courses, his dynamic with teammate Ross Chastain inside Trackhouse Racing, and the unforgettable celebration that followed one of the biggest wins of his NASCAR career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Free of charge. BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with Eye Gaming Ontario. I think as a team, we made all the right calls and managed it from that point onwards. And, yeah, it was just a great team victory. But I feel like I'm getting closer to Ross every week. Ross is a really good benchmark for me. Welcome into the victory lap on Caitlin Vinci. And so excited to have our most recent winner at Watkins Glen, Shane Van Gisberg,

and joining us, SVG, great to see you. I know after the race, you mentioned that that was one of the best races you've ever driven. Well, firstly, thanks for having me. I don't know. It was just good to put it all together. I think the first half of the race we drove, you know, with no mistakes and kind of were just managing. And then when the race went crazy with all the, you know, like the stages and the yellows

at the wrong time, I guess, for us, I think as a team, we made all the right calls and managed it from that point onwards. and it was just a great team victory, I think. Yeah, I was going to ask you that. How is this kind of a testament to the overall team strength, the race you guys were able to put together on Sunday? Yeah, just not getting stressed or caught up in uncertainty. You know, I think Stephen was calm on the radio,

and so was Josh just telling me the gaps and telling me what I needed to do. And yeah, it was a worry when I first pulled out of the pits and store on the big screen, you know, they were at the other end of the track. It was a long way to go, but pretty cool to run him down in that amount of time. You mentioned your crew chief, Stephen Doran. How has he been kind of the right fit for you? You guys have been together for a little while now, but just establishing that trust because he had very good calls, obviously, throughout the course of this event.

Oh, just, you know, you work with him every week and we get along really good. And just I didn't second guess or challenges calls at him. any point. Like I just trusted him and, you know, he said everything was such confidence. And, you know, last year, I think, you know, it was only his second year as a crew chief as well. And I think we've just sort of grown together a bit. And it's been really cool seeing him grow as well and get more confident and everything. So yeah, that was probably the best race he's done as well. And it was awesome. It was awesome. The fan response was huge. When I was out at Watkins Glen, I saw people with painted SVGs on their chest, like in giant letters.

It's been really neat to see the fan response and the way they've really embraced you. What has that been like for you? Because you really haven't been over on the NASCAR side that long to already have that amount of legion of fan support. Yeah, it's pretty overwhelming, but it's awesome at the same time. There's some pretty special people out there. But everyone's really nice and friendly, and it's really cool to be supported like that. And, you know, especially I noticed it at a track that I'd won at before.

And then the people coming back the next year, you know, how many models they were to sign and how stoked the memories they had from the last year. So it was really special. And, yeah, it's cool. And the amount of people that take days off work on a Monday at home and watch the races, it's, it's epic. Yeah, they were pretty fired up. Do you feel like the Rogue Course specialists, there's a few of you, obviously, are kind of changing the way some of these cup teams approach the road course races?

I think, yeah, in some ways I have noticed it, especially now, like they're worth so many points now to get a win. Like it's not winning your end anymore, but we saw how much of a leap it's done for me and the points. So it's definitely worth putting in a big effort to try and score as many points as possible and get the stage points. So yeah, I feel like it's definitely gotten competitive. There's, you know, there's six, eight guys every week on a road course who can win and, you know, a few more if they get it right. So it's been really cool to see how competitive it is now. Very competitive. You mentioned the points. You were able to pick up some spots as it pertains to the championship standings. What's the mindset moving forward to the next stretch kind of of races?

Because we won't have a road course for a little bit. Yeah, we've just got to keep accumulating. Try and learn a little bit at Dover. I'm looking forward to a long practice getting to try some things and experiment a little bit and then got some decent tracks coming up especially Charlotte that was obviously awesome for us last year I was pretty competitive too and and Ross won that race so yeah looking forward to get into those tracks and just got to keep trying to score and maximize many points every week and not make mistakes you earned your seventh career win obviously in the cup series where do you feel like you're at in terms of being adapted to Cup Series racing?

Because you've admittedly said you want to be better on the ovals, which you've made a lot of progress on those. But where do you feel like you're at in terms of adapting? Yeah, thank you. It's still a long way to go. I still have a lot to learn. But I feel like I'm getting closer to Ross every week. And Ross is a really good benchmark for me.

He's someone who wins or should win races. So yeah, I've got to match him most weeks. And obviously Connor's very good too. yeah just trying to get the most out of it I can every week but yeah I still have a lot to learn you know it's showed that the last couple of weeks when we've struggled I haven't you know you can see those good drivers when they have a bad qualifying or something they can dig themselves out of that hole and I can't quite do that yet so just yeah it's just going to take me time your team owner just and Marks mentioned post race that obviously overall the organization hasn't

necessarily been where they want to be but how do you feel like this gives a great boost of morale of momentum for the whole group. I mean, what's the vibe been like this week at the shop? Just how did this win? Just kind of help you eclipse that rough stretch that was happening a bit there. It's definitely a bit brighter in the shop now. It's cool. The last few weeks were a little rough and then Texas there was some glimpses and then you could kind of feel this this vibe or anticipation last week as everyone's building the road course cars and getting them ready, it was cool. You could feel that buzz. And then this week, uh, we took our team photo this morning and it was awesome. Like see how much it means everyone and everyone's got the chest

out. It's a cool feeling. And we just need to, you know, keep, keep getting those good results and keep everyone motivated and not like they weren't before, but, you know, a win certainly helps that. What was Justin Marks's comments to you after the race? I think he just wanted to get a picture of our dogs in Victory Lane. That was pretty cool. Yeah, we had a fun time with him and Aaron and their dogs. Yeah, it was awesome. It's what we needed to, you know, he just kept saying, one of us has to win today in our pre-race meeting.

You know, there was no point Connor and I doing stupid stuff trying to one up each other. We had to win as a team. And I think we did a good thing, splitting our strategies too, and, you know, covering all bases as a team. So that was a really good, that was a really good job by the team to,

be a little bit defensive but offensive at the same time and work together. You mentioned the team aspect. What is the area you've kind of identified within the team that is a spot for improvement that you're looking to really fine tune over the next couple of weeks? Probably just consistency. Yeah, I think some weeks we've got a top 15, top 10, Oval Car, and then the next where all three of us are running in the 30s. So we just need to get a little more consistent.

There's obviously potential in our cars to do it. Just trying to make the right calls every week on the setup and be there from the start of the weekend. Because when you're buried after qualifying, it's so hard to make up that difference because everyone's so good. So yeah, just starting our weekend strong is probably the focus. Your next opportunity to start a weekend strong is in a few days up in Delaware, Monster Mile.

It's not a points-paying race, but it is a big pain race if you win, the million dollars, obviously, for the all-storries. How is this weekend just kind of a fun off the script from what you guys normally are doing? Well, we struggled at Bristol, the concrete tracks normally, and then the Chevys in general weren't very good at Bristol. So this is a similar type of track, obviously a lot faster. So we have a few things to try to try and understand our cars and be a little better. So having a long practice, we can try some things and I can try some things.

And yeah, it'll be a good weekend. The format's a little confusing for Sunday, but we'll work that out when we get there. Minor details, confusing format. But this racetrack, it is a tough place, mentally, physically. Just kind of what have been your observations from racing at the Monster Mile in terms of what challenges kind of lay ahead from the driver's seat? Just how committed you have to be. The way that it dips into the corners, the track, and you kind of feel weightless. And then the car really loads into the banking and you just have an insane amount of grip because of the G force there.

And that takes a bit to get used to and something I'm not great at yet. So I just need to keep focusing on getting better. Yeah, when you're trying to lay a lap down there, it's amazing how fast it is. It's a crazy track. Cars shouldn't be able to do that. Well, you still have a few more days to celebrate this win. What were the celebrations like? Because you had a birthday, then you got a win.

Like, what did you do to celebrate all these awesome moments? Yeah, it was a really cool weekend. And then, yeah, after the race, everyone sort of come around home and probably had more adult beverages than we should have at 4.30 in the morning, I think we finished. So yesterday I was pretty slow. That's how it should be. Congratulations again, SVG. Great to see you and best luck to you at Dover this weekend.

Thank you. Cool. Thanks a lot. Good to talk to you. Hey y'all, it's Kelly Clarkson with Wayfair. Ever order furniture online and wonder, what if? Like, what if it doesn't hold up? That sofa was four days old.

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