Scott Dixon Not Surprised Shane van Gisbergen Is Dominating in NASCAR

In 2025, the Kiwis seem to be ruling American racing circuits while tipping their hats to one another’s success. On one side, IndyCar veteran Scott Dixon has claimed a win at Mid-Ohio and earned two more podiums in 14 starts so far this season. On the other hand, Shane van Gisbergen continues to dominate NASCAR’s road courses, having already collected three wins in his rookie Cup season.

So, when Dixon, who turned 45 last week, was asked if SVG’s road course dominance in NASCAR surprised him, the six-time IndyCar champion didn’t flinch. Instead, he praised the Trackhouse Racing driver’s skillset, saying, “It’s good to see Shane doing really well. I don’t think there was really any idea that he wouldn’t. The guy has some huge talent.

“I think anything that he jumps into, you know, just the feel that he has and the finesse that he has. Obviously the road courses were going to be pretty big slaughter for him and it’s definitely worked out that way. But it’s so cool you know obviously, to see any Kiwi over here doing really well and no doubt he was going to.”

While Dixon extended his remarkable streak of winning at least one IndyCar race every season since 2005, earning his 59th career win, SVG joined elite company in NASCAR. Alongside Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Larson, he is among the four drivers with three or more wins in the Cup Series so far this year.

But all of SVG’s victories have come on road courses, sparking debate over whether he truly deserves a playoff spot, given his modest results on ovals, which remain the backbone of NASCAR. Yet, voices like Kyle Petty have rallied in his defense.

The No. 88 driver is also working to sharpen his skills on ovals, running additional events outside the Cup Series to close the gap. His P19 finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway marked a step forward compared to his P30 result at Dover the previous weekend.

With two road course races still remaining on the schedule, including one in the Round of 12, SVG could even go as far as the Round of 8. However, his long-term success in NASCAR will hinge on mastering the ovals that define the sport.