Trackhouse Racing Forced Into Last-Minute Kansas Shuffle as NASCAR Cracks Down on SVG

It is trouble in the pits for Shane van Gisbergen. NASCAR slapped him with another unapproved adjustment penalty following the same fate that hit Michael McDowell heading into Sunday’s race. During the practice session on Saturday, the No. 88 team made a tweak after inspections and got caught only after qualifying ended. That means Sunday just got a whole lot tougher.

SVG is staring down a laundry list of consequences: losing pit stall selection, starting at the rear, and serving a stop-and-go on pit road. On top of it all, crew chief Stephen Doran has been ejected for the weekend. SVG initially qualified 24th, and now is forced to take his car to the back of the field. Meanwhile, Michael McDowell will also drop from P21 to the back. And to fill Stephen’s void, SVG’s engineer, Chaise Eliason, will step in to guide the Kiwi.

Shane van Gisbergen engineer Chais Eliason will be acting crew chief for SVG at Kansas after the ejection of crew chief Stephen Doran for unapproved adjustments prior to practice. https://t.co/Y4wketFQA0

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) September 28, 2025

SVG had shown flashes earlier this year, finishing P20 at Kansas and P14 at Richmond, with his last top 20 on an oval coming at Daytona. Reproducing those results with this penalty looming will be a serious uphill battle. If there is a silver lining, it is that SVG won’t face it alone. The 71 team is joining him in the stop-and-go penalties, sharing the weekend headache, but at least misery loves company.

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