Trackhouse star Shane van Gisbergen dominated the NASCAR Cup race at Watkins Glen, winning the race by multiple seconds after overtaking over 20 cars in the final stint. Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently came out on his podcast and explained what makes SVG unbeatable at road courses, and why other NASCAR drivers won’t be able to replicate the same level of performance.
SVG took the pole position at the 2026 NASCAR Cup race at Watkins Glen and was in control of the race for the first two stages, being in the effective lead. However, a decision not to pit under a somewhat early safety car in the final stage meant the Trackhouse star had to start from the lead under green flag, and came out outside the Top 20.
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With fresher tires and no concern of saving fuel, SVG overtook over 20 drivers in just 17 laps in the final stint to regain the lead, and won by over seven seconds. Dale Earnhardt Jr. came out on the Dale Jr. Download podcast and explained the clutch technique used by Shane van Gisbergen at road courses, which helps him modulate the engine braking and stop the rear tires from locking up and bouncing.
“He’s (SVG) right foot braking. And he’s got his foot on the clutch. And so when he starts to feel the rear tires trying to get time, like the engine braking, trying to drag the rear tire or even induce wheel hop, he will modulate the clutch just slightly to dampen the load on the drivetrain,” said Dale Jr.
“And so another thing that he does is he will modulate the clutch and pitch the car in the middle of the corner down deep in the braking zone. He kind of will release the clutch a little bit or use the clutch pedal in a way to help the car pitch and turn. And so, and he kind of is doing that,” he added
Detailing how none of the NASCAR drivers on the grid would be able to replicate the technique on the same level as Shane van Gisbergen has mastered it, Dale Earnhardt Jr. added,
“This is a technique that you need to be doing from the day that you start driving race cars. It ain’t some sh*t you can start picking up and learning and understanding. There ain’t no chance, no f***ing way in hell. There is a single driver in the NASCAR Cup field today that could apply and adopt this technique and do it well. It’s just not possible.”
“People overthink it”: Shane van Gisbergen downplays clutch technique advantage
Shane van Gisbergen featured in the latest episode of the Dale Jr. podcast and was questioned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. about why he doesn’t allow NASCAR to put a foot camera in his car. After Dale Jr. suggested that none of the other drivers would be able to copy the same, SVG came out and downplayed the advantage, as he said,
“I also think people overthink it as well. I don’t think it is a big advantage, but of course, I’m going to say that, but it’s all I’ve known, but I used to do it because you had to in a V8 supercar.”
Shane van Gisbergen raced in the V8 Supercar before making the move to NASCAR. It was essential for him to left foot break, heel and toe, to get the most lap time out of the cars with the locked differential.
Edited by Pranay Bhagi
