Shane van Gisbergen and his #88 team could be in hot water with NASCAR following a costly incident at Martinsville that effectively ruined their race. The New Zealander has endured a tough start to the 2025 Cup Series season, with only one top-20 finish and five results outside the top 30 in the first seven races.
Van Gisbergen’s struggles continued on Sunday, as he voiced his frustrations over team radio during the first stage. Complaining about his car’s handling, he told his crew, “It’s so tight. I can’t roll the bottom.” A shock packer dislodged from the back of his car, prompting a pit stop to replace it, but the issue persisted. Later, he expressed further dissatisfaction, saying, “Well, it wasn’t the rear bar. What the hell. It’s so bad. I cannot turn at all.”
Despite his early troubles, things seemed to turn around late in the second stage when he was able to get back on the lead lap thanks to a caution. However, his fortunes quickly soured again in stage three. While pitting for fresh tires, disaster struck—van Gisbergen lost control entering Turn 3 as he exited pit road. Worse still, his right rear wheel, improperly secured, detached as he tried to rejoin the race.
The mistake cost him dearly, forcing him to return to pit road to resolve the issue. By the time he got back on track, he had lost five laps and ultimately finished six laps behind the race leader.
NASCAR has already handed out two-race suspensions to crew members for similar infractions this season. Both Kyle Busch’s #8 team and Chase Briscoe’s #19 Joe Gibbs Racing crew have faced penalties for unsecured wheels. If the sanctioning body remains consistent, van Gisbergen’s team could be in for the same punishment, potentially forcing them to find replacements ahead of Darlington.
