Shane van Gisbergen Gives Details About His Relationship With His Father
· Yahoo Sports
NASCAR is filled with stories of fathers who influenced their children to pursue careers in motorsports, and Shane van Gisbergen is no different. The New Zealander spoke about his relationship with his father, Robert van Gisbergen, in an interview with PRN Live, detailing how the elder van Gisbergen was, and continues to be, an inspiration to him.
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Robert is a well-known rally driver in New Zealand. He shares a strong bond with his son and is often seen at race tracks in the States alongside him.
SVG admitted that his father would be watching the 2026 Daytona 500 back home on television and detailed how close they were and how they pushed each other to be better race car drivers. “My dad got to race my V8 supercar, and we did a car swap,” he said.
“I got to drive a rally car, and we raced each other. Find out who is the fastest in a rally car and vice versa. It was really cool. I just beat him. He was within a half-second in the road course in the supercar. Very impressive.”
Whenever Van Gisbergen and his father race, they put their personal relationship aside and focus solely on the competition. The expertise Robert has shared with his son has led to some important realizations. Shaneunderlined that if his old man had been afforded the same opportunities growing up, he might have reached the highest echelons of the sport.
That said, there is still a strong dose of the typical father-son dynamic in their relationship. SVG admits he does not always listen to his father as much as he should, but that has not stopped Robert from getting involved and offering his wisdom. Shane said he appreciates that involvement, even if he does not always see it as necessary.
Notably,Robert was present at Watkins Glen when Shane won there last year. Watching his son lift the victory flag in a foreign land must have been a special and emotional moment, especially considering he lost his wife and SVG’s mother, Karen, in 2024.
The Trackhouse Racing driver was also asked whether he was a well-behaved child at school, and his answer surprised many. The three-time Supercars champion said he hated going to school and that the best part of it was leaving. On the racetrack, however, he enjoys studying and learning how to become a better race car driver.
He explained with a smile, “I get something out of that. Do you ever use the math you learn at school in real life? I have never used it.”
SVG finished the Daytona 500 in 30th place, opening his season with seven points. His attention now turns to the Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway.
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