Shane van Gisbergen makes his expectations clear after coming up short against teammate Daniel Suarez at COTA

Trackhouse Racing driver Shane van Gisbergen took to his X account and shared his expectations of the season's upcoming third race at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). The drivers competed in the qualifying session for the main event, and Gisbergen fell short against teammate Daniel Suarez.

Hailing from New Zealand, Gisbergen has had a successful career in the Supercar Championship. He piloted the #97 car and bagged three titles in 2016, 2021, and 2022, before stepping into stock car racing. He amassed 81 wins, 176 podiums, and 48 pole positions. The Kiwi competed in the Xfinity Series in the 2024 season for Kaulig Racing and now competes in the Cup Series for Trackhouse Racing.

Shane van Gisbergen shared an image of his #88 Chevy Camaro ZL1 in front of the COTA Tower and revealed his expectations:

"Felt ok here today at COTA. @WeatherTech Camaro feels great, and I think we should be competitive in the race tomorrow. Looking forward to it!"

The 35-year-old stock car racing driver qualified for the race in sixth place with a best time of 1:38.52 minutes. Meanwhile, his teammate Daniel Suarez in the #99 Chevy beat Gisbergen by 0.04 seconds and secured a spot above him. 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick won the pole position for the race scheduled for Sunday, March 2, 2025.

---

Shane van Gisbergen understands NASCAR's reason behind shortening COTA and looks for his second Cup Series win

NASCAR driver Shane van Gisbergen recently shared his views on the shortening of the COTA track ahead of the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. The governing body shortened the track by 1.1 miles, and the lap times had dropped by around a minute. In addition, 27 laps were added to the race.

The Auckland native weighed in on NASCAR's decision and stated (via NASCAR Wire Service):

“I did like the long track, but I see why they shortened it. More time past the stands and more action. And the cut-through that’s done (from Turn 6), we don’t lose any passing spots. That extra bit (Turns 7 through 11), there’s only one real passing spot, and they’re kept one with the cut-through."

After a slow start to the 2025 season, with a P33 finish at the Daytona 500 and a P23 finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Shane van Gisbergen looks ahead to the first road course race of the season. The New Zealand-based driver is positioned 34th in the driver's standings with 18 points and aims to climb up the standings.

"I miss that: going there and no one knows who I am; I could kind of fly under the radar and do my own thing. Obviously, there are expectations now, but I’m pretty good at keeping that under control myself and focusing on my own thing," Shane van Gisbergen said via NASCAR Wire Service.

Gisbergen's #88 Chevy Camaro ZL1 will be sponsored by Red Bull for a few selected races in the 2025 season. Starting from Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 16, followed by Sonoma Raceway on July 13, Iowa Speedway on August 3, Daytona International Speedway on August 23, and Kansas Speedway on September 28.