OFFICIAL CONFIRMED🚨😱 “We Have Decided”— Justin Marks Drops The Bomb On Shane van Gisbergen’s Future: Trackhouse Racing Owner Confirms SVG Will NOT Return To Full-Time NASCAR Cup Racing In 2026 – “It’s Time For Him To Chase What He Really Wants”

In a move that has sent shockwaves through the NASCAR world just weeks before the 2026 season opener, Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks has officially confirmed the worst-kept secret of the off-season: Shane van Gisbergen will not return to full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition in 2026.

During an exclusive sit-down interview with FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass released this morning, Marks delivered the definitive statement fans had both feared and expected:

“We have decided. Shane will not be driving full-time for us next year. It’s the right decision for everyone involved.”

The New Zealand-born Supercars champion, who stunned the sport with his debut NASCAR win at the Chicago Street Race in 2023 and followed it with a second victory at Watkins Glen later that year, had been widely expected to continue in the No. 88 Chevrolet for Trackhouse in 2026 after a challenging but promising 2025 campaign (P12 in points, two wins, six top-5s).

Marks, however, made it clear the split is mutual and amicable – but final.

“Shane is one of the most talented drivers I’ve ever worked with. He’s a pure racer. But after long conversations with him, his management, and our partners, we both recognize that his heart is pulling him in a different direction. He wants to compete for championships in multiple series, on different continents, on different types of cars. NASCAR’s schedule and format don’t give him that flexibility right now. So we’re letting him go chase what he really wants.”

When pressed on whether van Gisbergen would run a partial Cup schedule or select races in 2026, Marks was unequivocal:

“No full-time Cup ride with Trackhouse. No part-time Cup ride with Trackhouse. Shane is free to explore any opportunity he wants – Supercars, IMSA, rallycross, endurance racing, whatever lights him up. We will always be friends and partners. The door is open if he ever wants to come back for a one-off. But 2026 is not his year in our Cup program.”

The announcement ends months of speculation that began after SVG’s inconsistent 2025 results. Despite flashes of brilliance – including a near-win at Daytona in July and a dominant performance at Road America – van Gisbergen struggled with superspeedway pack racing, intermediate-track setup philosophy and the sheer physical toll of NASCAR’s 36-race grind compared to the shorter Supercars calendar.

Insiders say SVG had grown frustrated with the lack of immediate top-tier competitiveness at Trackhouse and had privately told Marks as early as October 2025 that he was considering a return to full-time Supercars racing with Triple Eight Race Engineering or a hybrid program that included Le Mans, Bathurst 1000 and select NASCAR events.

Reactions Pour In Shane van Gisbergen (via Instagram post minutes after Marks’s interview aired): “Thank you Trackhouse, Justin, the entire team and every fan who believed in me. NASCAR changed my life. I’ll always love it. But I need to race the way that makes me happy. More news soon. See you on track somewhere.” Denny Hamlin (on his podcast): “SVG is too good to be stuck in mid-pack battles. If he goes back to Supercars full-time and wins Bathurst again, nobody should be surprised.

The guy’s a freak.” Kyle Larson (quick comment to media): “He beat me fair and square at Chicago. That’s all you need to know about how good he is. NASCAR will miss him if he leaves.” Bubba Wallace (on X): “Respect to SVG. Do what makes you happy, brother. The sport needs more drivers like you.”

Trackhouse has not yet named a replacement for the No. 88 car. Speculation centers on Ross Chastain moving over from the No. 1, Daniel Suárez stepping up, or a surprise signing from the Xfinity ranks.

For now, the NASCAR paddock is processing the departure of one of its most exciting international talents – a driver who arrived as a wildcard and leaves as a proven winner.

Shane van Gisbergen’s NASCAR chapter may be closing. But the story of the “Kiwi who conquered America” is far from over.