The conversation around rookies in NASCAR usually centers on potential and promise. Shane van Gisbergen decided to skip that discussion entirely. The New Zealand racing star didn’t just succeed in his debut Cup Series season; he rewrote what’s possible for international drivers to jump to America’s top motorsport.

With 10 races remaining in the 2025 season, van Gisbergen has already clinched the NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year award. For fans following his journey from Supercars in Australia to the Cup Series in the United States, this feels like the beginning of something special.

How Did Shane van Gisbergen Transform From Supercars Champion to NASCAR Rookie of the Year?

Before he arrived in NASCAR, van Gisbergen was already a racing legend in Australia. Known simply as “SVG” to fans, he captured three Supercars championships and three Bathurst 1000 victories. With nothing left to prove down under, his competitive drive led him to pursue something new in the States.

His stunning debut victory in the 2023 Chicago Street Race became one of the most impressive NASCAR debuts in recent memory. That win came at the start of his first Cup Series, and suddenly, the idea of a full-time NASCAR career didn’t sound so far-fetched.

Following a developmental season in the Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing in 2024, Trackhouse Racing offered him a full Cup Series seat for 2025. The gamble paid off spectacularly. Van Gisbergen has four victories in his rookie campaign, including Watkins Glen and Sonoma wins. He also secured a dominating victory in Mexico City, crossing the finish line by over 16 seconds. That margin represented the most significant victory gap in a Cup Series race over a decade.

Van Gisbergen enters the playoffs ranked sixth in the standings, positioned ahead of several NASCAR veterans and behind established stars like Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin. He has already surpassed the performance of former Supercars champion Marcos Ambrose, who previously held the standard for Australian success in NASCAR.

What Made van Gisbergen’s Rookie Award Victory So Decisive?

Riley Herbst was the only other rookie competing in the Cup Series field this season, but his struggles throughout the year sealed the award for van Gisbergen before the playoffs began. Herbst battled consistency issues all season and failed to record a single top-10 finish. His final opportunity to make the playoffs came at Daytona, but he was collected in a Lap 27 crash that ended his postseason hopes.

Meanwhile, van Gisbergen finished 16th at Daytona, securing his rookie award by default. NASCAR determines the Rookie of the Year based on which rookie driver finishes highest in the championship standings. With Herbst now eliminated from playoff contention, van Gisbergen is guaranteed the award regardless of what happens in the postseason.

After his Daytona race, he reflected on the achievement: “It was awesome. We set out and achieved what we wanted to do…. I learned a lot. We just have to keep building.”

By clinching the ROTY award, van Gisbergen became the first foreign-born driver to win this honor since Juan Pablo Montoya accomplished the feat in 2007. The achievement serves as a reminder of how difficult the transition to NASCAR can be, even for proven talents from other international motorsports series.

One fan on social media captured the sentiment perfectly: “still wild how Aussies can come over and instantly humble half the grid like it’s nothing.” van Gisbergen’s rookie award is already secured, but the bigger challenge begins now. With the playoffs starting, he’ll get his first real opportunity to chase NASCAR’s ultimate prize.