Shane van Gisbergen made the entire NASCAR world sit up and take notice in July 2023. Driving the No. 91 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing’s Project91 initiative, the Kiwi driver stunned everyone by winning the inaugural Chicago Street Race in his very first Cup Series start. A road course ringer from Supercars, he sliced through the field like a veteran, taking the lead on Lap 71 and holding off seasoned competitors in NASCAR Overtime.

It was electric. No driver had done that since 1963, and van Gisbergen was suddenly the name on every fan’s lips. He couldn’t believe it either. “It’s hard to explain, but it’s an amazing feeling,” he said after the win. NASCAR’s international spotlight lit up. The buzz around SVG was real. His move to full-time NASCAR competition in 2025 with Trackhouse Racing was welcomed with high hopes.

Fans imagined more street race magic, strong road course showings, and maybe even some surprising oval success. But less than two years later, the vibe has changed—drastically. After a full-time move to the Cup Series in 2025 with Trackhouse Racing, van Gisbergen has gone from being the sport’s newest star to a weekly backmarker. After his latest struggles at Bristol, fans have started to turn on him and his team. The “SVG experiment” is now under fire.

Shane van Gisbergen fails to impress NASCAR fans!

Last week at Darlington, SVG finally showed signs of life. He finished 20th, his best oval result this season. For a moment, it looked like he and the No. 88 team had turned a corner. The car handled better in the long runs, and van Gisbergen even said, “To get a top-20 after the runs we’ve been having is a great starting point.”

But that progress came to a halt at Bristol. Van Gisbergen qualified 36 on the grid, but as soon as the green flag dropped, he found himself dead last at 39. To make matters worse, he spun around and crashed into the wall on Lap 178. In the end, he had a DNF and finished 38th again. It was a crushing blow that quickly unraveled any momentum he’d gained. What followed was a wave of backlash from fans, media, and critics. The SVG experiment, once a feel-good story, had become a lightning rod for frustration.

One fan wrote bluntly, “How much longer is the SVG experiment?” The numbers back the frustration. Through seven starts this season, SVG holds an average finish of 26.63. Only Cole Custer and Cody Ware have worse averages. His average qualifying position is among the worst in the series. Most weeks, he starts at the back and finishes near it. Even in his one strength—road courses—he’s underdelivered. His best result was sixth at COTA, where many expected him to win.

In five out of eight races, he had finished in the 30s. Notably, in Bristol, his day unraveled after a tough moment on Lap 178. The Kiwi driver dove inside Cody Ware in Turn 2 but got loose underneath the No. 51, sending himself into a spin. The trouble didn’t end there—by Lap 280, SVG took his No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet behind the wall, ending his race early. He joined Josh Bilicki, who had already retired his No. 66 Garage 66 Ford after 193 laps.

Despite the setback, van Gisbergen hasn’t thrown in the towel. Apart from working on his shortcomings at ovals, he’s looking to help the next wave of Supercars talent make the jump. Broc Feeney, a 22-year-old from Queensland, has expressed interest in following SVG’s path. Feeney recently travelled to the U.S. to watch the Cook Out 400 and reconnect with his old Triple Eight teammate.

According to reports, SVG is actively mentoring him, pulling strings, and using his connections at Trackhouse to guide the 22-year-old Aussie. That mentorship role has added value beyond results. But it also puts more of a spotlight on van Gisbergen. If he can’t find success in NASCAR’s top series, how can he convince others to follow? And fans are questioning the same.

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Fans rip into SVG and Trackhouse Racing!

Fans haven’t held back their opinions, and the frustration is boiling over on social media. The once-hyped Shane van Gisbergen’s transition from Supercars legend to NASCAR contender is now being mocked, pitied, and questioned in every way possible. A user summed up the frustration and said, “World class sportscar driver Shane Van Gisbergen struggling in 35th at a short track in moonshine country Tennessee is a beautiful sight to see (I love SVG btw).”

This sarcastic take sums up the irony many fans are feeling. SVG was supposed to be NASCAR’s road-course ringer. Instead, he’s become a backmarker on most weekends. Meanwhile, some fans also questioned his team and crew chief. “He’s given bad cars and has an incredibly dumb crew chief,” one fan vented. Another echoed the sentiments and said, “SVG’s car looks a little bit like Cody Ware’s old Nurtec ride, which makes sense if you consider how he’s been running this year.” Things haven’t been great either for Daniel Suarez, who only has a single top 5 finish since the start of the season. It seems like Trackhouse weren’t able to identify the issue that hindered their run last year.

Fans aren’t just blaming SVG. They’re turning their attention to Trackhouse Racing, calling out the team’s setups and strategy decisions. With fellow Trackhouse driver Daniel Suarez averaging a finish of 21.4, it’s clear the issue isn’t just about SVG’s driving. But still, fans expect more. Finally, fans who followed his early success are stunned. “I thought SVG started off really well in NASCAR? Dominating on road courses and holding his own on ovals…but this year has been abysmal?” SVG won three races competing as a rookie last year in the Xfinity Series. Not only that, he also had two top-five finishes at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Brickyard.

It’s the sharp contrast between expectation and reality that’s causing this meltdown. Van Gisbergen still has 18 races left to flip the script, including several road courses. His rookie season isn’t over, but Trackhouse Racing’s SVG experiment is being watched closely—and the pressure is rising fast. Next up is Talladega, and Shane Van Gisbergen will hope to break into the top 10 somehow.