Overview
- At Daytona 500 Media Day, Shane Van Gisbergen endorsed the Chase format change, calling it a more “pure racing championship.”
- He reiterated he did not move to NASCAR just for road courses and set a goal of making the playoffs by improving on ovals.
- NASCAR’s 2026 rules remove automatic playoff berths for race winners, requiring drivers to finish inside the top 16 in regular-season points.
- The schedule trims road-course events from six to four, with the loss of Mexico City and the Charlotte ROVAL heightening the need for steady oval results.
- Late in 2025 he showed oval progress with a top-10 at Kansas and competitive speed at New Hampshire, yet he still identifies Bristol and Phoenix as problem tracks.