Kevin Harvick breaks down how Shane van Gisbergen has almost made AJ Allmendinger INSIGNIFICANT at road courses

Shane van Gisbergen is new standard for road course racing in the Xfinity Series.

Kevin Harvick breaks down how Shane van Gisbergen has almost made AJ Allmendinger INSIGNIFICANT at road courses

Shane van Gisbergen, Kevin Harvick (In Circle) and AJ Allmendinger (Via IMAGO)

Shane van Gisbergen, the three times Supercars champion, has established himself as the driver to beat in road courses this season in the Xfinity Series. He joined Kaulig Racing as a full-time racer after signing a development deal with Trackhosue Racing. SVG has won three races so far this season, with two of them being road course events and the third the Chicago Xfinity race.

The impressive success from Shane van Gisbergen has overshadowed the efforts of his teammate AJ Allmendinger, who has been guy to beat in the road courses till 2023. Ex-Cup champion Kevin Harvick, while discussions on the same pointed out that Allmendinger has been underwhelming at first and second division races unlike in the past.

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The other thing that’s interesting to me, the SVG situation as to what that’s done to AJ Allmendinger. We don’t talk about AJ Allmendinger being the guy to beat. He hasn’t qualified well on really any of the road courses, hasn’t been in contention on most of the road courses whether that’s Xfinity or Cup.
Kevin Harvick said via Happy Hour podcast.

He pointed out that the poor streak of run and losing to Shane van Gisbergen has put a damper mentality on AJ. He reckons this has been the reason for AJ not being competitive.

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We talk about Bowman and the things from a mental side of things but man it has put a damper mentally on AJ and the things he’s been able to do on the road courses..
Kevin Harvick added

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Mamba Smith asserts Shane van Gisbergen is the new standard on the road courses

The Happy Hour podcast co-host Mamba Smith shared his opinion on the same. He highlighted that over the last few years AJ Allmendinger used to set the standard in road courses but now SVG has elevated the performances and became the new standard.

AJ was the standard on the road courses. Now, SVG, the way SVG drives is different than AJ and it’s almost like he’s elevated, right? Someone has to elevate and SVG is now the new standard. Now, AJ, is AJ clear-cut second? When he’s on he is but then when he’s off, he’s off. It just doesn’t seem like the same.

Mamba Smith said.

SVG has definitely set a new standard for road course racing in NASCAR, especially in the Xfinity Series. This has also helped Kaulig Racing who hit a ceiling with the development of their road course racing programme with AJ behind the wheels. They now have a new set of notes and a different dimension to focus for the future.

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