Kevin Harvick says Trackhouse’s Shane van Gisbergen move is influenced by NASCAR's Mexico route

Trackhouse Racing recently announced Shane van Gisbergen as its third driver, piloting the #88 Chevrolet for the 2025 season. NASCAR veteran Kevin Harvick has shared his thoughts on the possible reasons behind the move.

Originally hailing from New Zealand, van Gisbergen currently drives the #97 Chevrolet Camaro for Kaulig Racing, competing full-time in the Xfinity Series. With an impressive background in motorsports, van Gisbergen has claimed three Australian Supercars championships and delivered standout performances across various disciplines, including the 24 Hours of Daytona, Le Mans, and GT Racing.

Former Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick thinks Trackhouse Racing’s decision to sign Shane van Gisbergen is more calculated than it appears. On a recent episode of his Happy Hour podcast, Harvick shared his insights on SVG’s transition to the Cup Series.

"When you look at it, a lot of people say 'SVG in the Cup Series, why would Trackhouse not continue their development of Zane Smith and put SVG in the car?' Well the bottom line is, sounds like they're going to add Mexico City to the schedule, you've got six road courses on the schedule." [39:55]

After a brief exchange between the hosts of the podcast about SVG's experience on road courses and certain financial decisions, Harvick said:

"To me it's about being able to be in a position to win and putting yourself in the playoffs you know, taking a chance and saying 'We feel like we're going to win one of these road course races with SVG in the car.' I feel like that's what Justin Marks (owner of Trackhouse) is saying to himself and his team and his situation, and saying 'We're going to win one of these races and we're going to put ourselves in the playoffs with one of our cars right here.'" [40:29]

The Kiwi took the NASCAR fraternity by surprise following his NASCAR debut at the inaugural Chicago Street Race in the 2023 Cup Series campaign. Moreover, van Gisbergen has been locking in impressive performances in his full-time season in the Xfinity Series, which reportedly prompted Trackhouse Racing to sign him for the Cup Series.

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NASCAR insider tips Shane van Gisbergen as playoff contender for 2025

Following Trackhouse Racing's announcement of Shane van Gisbergen as their third driver in the upcoming season, The Atheltic journalist Jordan Bianchi has extended his support for the Kiwi to make it to the 2025 playoffs.

In a recent episode of their Dirty Mo Media podcast, NASCAR journalists Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi broke down Shane van Gisbergen's transition to the Cup Series. Bianchi emphasized that van Gisbergen is a driver to watch closely in the coming seasons.

"If you're looking at this purely as a performance, this is bottom line that SVG is your guy. I would put money, he's going to be in the playoffs next year. He's gonna win one of these road course races whether it's COTA, Sonoma, Chicago, Watkins Glen...I mean, he's going to win one of these. It's just the way it is." [55:54]

Currently sitting 12th in the Xfinity Series standings, Shane van Gisbergen has had a strong season, racking up three race wins and five top-five finishes, securing a spot in the playoffs.