Van Gisbergen Turns to Veteran Data for Oval Progress Ahead of NASCAR Playoffs
Securing four wins plus more than 20 bonus points earned him a playoff berth; he now analyzes SMT data to refine his oval technique.
Overview
- Van Gisbergen locked his playoff spot with four road-course victories and over 20 bonus points.
- He qualified 27th at Richmond Raceway with a 22.646-second lap and ran consistently in the 15th–20th range.
- A pit-road nudge during a Richmond stop highlighted the manual challenges of NASCAR’s pit operations.
- He is dissecting SMT telemetry, studying Denny Hamlin’s throttle “stabs” and Ross Chastain’s gear-change methods to boost oval speed.
- Limited practice time and no pit limiters have intensified his learning curve, making extra seat time a key priority.