Shane van Gisbergen will have a new voice calling the shots from atop the pit box in 2027.
Trackhouse Racing is making a significant change to its No. 97 NASCAR Cup Series team, bringing in veteran crew chief Blake Harris to work with van Gisbergen next season. Harris arrives from Hendrick Motorsports, where he has spent the past four seasons leading Alex Bowman’s No. 48 team.
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The move gives van Gisbergen an experienced crew chief as he prepares for his third full-time Cup Series campaign. It also ends a partnership with Stephen Doran that has produced seven victories and helped establish the New Zealand driver as one of NASCAR’s most formidable road-course competitors.
For a driver who has already proven he can win at NASCAR’s highest level, the next challenge is becoming a more consistent contender across the entire schedule.
Trackhouse is turning to Harris to help make that happen.
Trackhouse Racing Makes Major Change to Shane van Gisbergen’s Team
The decision follows recent indications that changes were coming to Trackhouse’s competition department.
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Following the Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway, van Gisbergen told reporters that significant team changes were on the horizon. Trackhouse founder Justin Marks subsequently confirmed to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that the organization was preparing adjustments on the competition side for 2027.
Now, one of those changes is taking shape.
Harris brings experience from one of NASCAR’s most successful organizations. He joined Hendrick Motorsports as Bowman’s crew chief ahead of the 2023 season and helped guide the No. 48 team to a victory on the streets of Chicago in 2024.
His arrival at Trackhouse represents more than a routine personnel move. Van Gisbergen has already demonstrated exceptional speed on road courses, but building a stronger overall program will require improvements on the ovals that make up the majority of the Cup Series calendar.
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That makes Harris’ experience particularly valuable as Trackhouse looks toward 2027.
The move also means van Gisbergen will part ways with Doran, who has overseen his No. 97 team for the past two seasons.
Their success has been considerable. The pairing has collected seven victories, an impressive return during van Gisbergen’s transition from Australian Supercars to full-time NASCAR competition.
But Trackhouse is evidently looking beyond what the team has already accomplished.
What’s Next for Shane van Gisbergen in 2027?
Van Gisbergen’s rapid rise has made him one of the most intriguing drivers in the Cup Series.
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After stunning NASCAR with his victory in the inaugural Chicago Street Race in 2023, he committed to a full-time transition to American stock car racing. He went on to earn Cup Series Rookie of the Year honors in 2025.
His road-course success has never been in question. The bigger test has been translating that speed into consistent results on traditional ovals, where experience, car setup and race strategy can make an enormous difference.
A crew chief change alone won’t solve every challenge. But Harris brings years of experience working within Hendrick Motorsports’ championship-caliber operation, giving van Gisbergen a different perspective as he continues developing on NASCAR’s oval tracks.
The change also comes as Trackhouse prepares for another season with Connor Zilisch in the No. 88 Chevrolet. Zilisch recently confirmed that he expects to remain with crew chief Randall Burnett in 2027, keeping that pairing intact.
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For van Gisbergen, however, the next chapter will begin with a new crew chief and a clear opportunity to build on the success he has already achieved.
Seven victories with Doran established what the No. 97 team is capable of doing.
Now, Trackhouse is betting Harris can help make that success less dependent on the type of racetrack.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
