Dale Earnhardt Jr. Expresses Concerns Over Shane van Gisbergen’s NASCAR Transition
Oval racing icon Dale Earnhardt Jr. has raised concerns about Supercars champion turned NASCAR rookie Shane van Gisbergen’s transition to oval racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Van Gisbergen, renowned for his success in road racing, is in his debut season in the second-division Xfinity Series, with ambitions to step up to the premier Cup Series in the future. However, Earnhardt Jr. fears that the learning curve for oval racing might pose significant challenges for the New Zealand driver.
Earnhardt Jr. drew comparisons to Juan Pablo Montoya’s transition to NASCAR, highlighting the difficulties faced by drivers accustomed to different racing styles. Montoya, despite his success in other series, struggled to adapt to oval racing in NASCAR.
“When it really all came down to it, where did we all land on Juan Pablo Montoya as an oval racer? I mean, this was a great race car driver,” Earnhardt Jr. commented on his podcast, The Dale Jr. Download.
Earnhardt Jr. acknowledged that while the Cup cars are similar to the Supercars van Gisbergen used to race, oval racing presents a unique challenge that requires time to master.
Van Gisbergen has already showcased his talent on road courses, clinching back-to-back victories at Portland and Sonoma in the Xfinity Series. However, he has faced hurdles on ovals, notably crashing twice in his recent outing at Iowa Speedway.
“The thing that’s probably most challenging for anybody… is understanding how the aero works,” Earnhardt Jr. explained, emphasizing the complexities of oval racing and aerodynamics in NASCAR’s Next Gen car.
Despite van Gisbergen’s successes, Earnhardt Jr. believes he will need time to adapt to oval racing and the nuances of NASCAR’s premier series.
Van Gisbergen’s journey in NASCAR continues to captivate fans and pundits alike as he navigates the challenges of oval racing in pursuit of success at the highest level of stock car racing.
