'I do have other things in racing I want to try' - SVG

Shane van Gisbergen has been one of the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series season, winning three times and sparking talk that he might be among the best road-course racers in the history of stock car racing.

He turned a one-off start at Trackhouse Racing three years ago into a victory, launching him into full-time status in Cup racing and making him a victory threat every time he takes the wheel. It's been a flashy beginning that's likely to continue for several years after the Kiwi signed a multi-year contract extension with Trackhouse this week.

SVG, as he is popularly known, stressed that racing at a high level in NASCAR is not necessarily his end goal.

“I do have other things in racing I want to try,” the 36-year-old said. “I still want to do some European stuff. I want to do the Nurburgring 24. I want to do a bit more rally car driving. That’s a crazy sport, so I’d love to do more of that.

“Definitely for now I want to stay in NASCAR and concentrate on that, but I don’t have a timeline. Two years ago, I wasn’t meant to be here, so I’m really happy here at the moment and can see myself doing it for a while, but it is a sport that fully consumes you. I am very homesick. I miss home a lot, and there’s no time to get back there. I’m a long way from home. I’ll move back there as soon as I’m done racing.”

Van Gisbergen’s three victories put him in the Cup playoff field. Because his success is heavily weighted toward road courses, he won’t be listed among the championship favorites.

“I try not to race with expectations and just take it as it comes,” he said. “I feel like we’re ramping up a lot, and we’re starting to go to tracks that will be the second time for me. I felt I got a lot better at that last year in Xfinity.

“Hopefully the same trend [will happen] this year, but the first round is very difficult. We go to Darlington, which is my favorite oval, but the other two – Bristol and Gateway – I haven’t really been to Gateway before, so it’s going to be very difficult.

“I don’t really know how we’re going to end up, but I do feel like we’re improving every week and our average running position or pace is definitely trending in the right direction, so if we execute, who knows what can happen.”

A victory in Sunday’s race at the Glen would tie van Gisbergen with Denny Hamlin for most wins this season at four.