SVG Still Smiling After First NASCAR Oval Top-10

PXL_20251004_155942857 — (Photo: Greg Engle, CupScene.com)

New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen is back in familiar territory this weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series races in the Bank of America Roval 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (3 p.m. ET on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Van Gisbergen will try to win his fifth straight road course event in NASCAR’s top division. Jeff Gordon holds the series record for consecutive road course wins with six.

Nevertheless, as he took questions from reporters before Cup Series practice on Saturday, van Gisbergen couldn’t hide his elation at the 10th-place finish he achieved last Sunday at Kansas Speedway, his first top 10 on a NASCAR oval.

The three-time Australian Supercars champion achieved the milestone despite a first-lap pass-through, an inspection-related penalty that put him a lap down from the outset.

Van Gisbergen recovered to post the 11th-most green-flag passes during the race (111), even though he didn’t return to the lead lap as beneficiary until the third caution on Lap 90.

“We had a little penalty for a mistake, and then, yeah, having to be a lap down, or two laps down we ended up, and coming back was really cool,” van Gisbergen said. “It was pretty genuine, the speed, as well. We were ahead of most of the crashes, and having a really good day.

“So, yeah, I was pretty excited. I’ve never been so excited for a top-10, but this series is tough on the ovals. Everyone’s so good, and it has taken all year for us to get up to speed. It’s just a good reward for everyone who’s helped me to get here, the spotters and crew chief. I think everyone was pretty stoked after that race. It was a cool atmosphere.”