Shane van Gisbergen Lost for Words on 17-Year-Old Brent Crews Who Nearly Stole His Race at COTA

Shane van Gisbergen won at Circuit of the Americas. But the moment everyone’s still talking about? That belonged to a teenager who doesn’t even have a full-time NASCAR ride yet. Brent Crews, 17 years old, making his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut, went wheel-to-wheel with veterans and came out ahead—if only for a moment. He took the lead. At COTA. In his first race. Against Shane van Gisbergen.

Lap 24. Stage two restart. Crews spotted his opening in Turn 1, committed to it without a second thought, and blew past both van Gisbergen and fellow teenage competitor Connor Zillisch to take the lead. No hesitation. No backing down. Just a rookie doing what rookies aren’t supposed to be able to do.

That move made Crews the youngest driver in O’Reilly Series history to lead a lap. The kid wasn’t just along for the ride—he was running the show, even if briefly. Van Gisbergen, a Cup Series regular and former Supercars champion who knows a thing or two about racecraft, eventually reclaimed the lead and took the win. But after the race, he couldn’t stop talking about the teenager who had made his afternoon far more interesting than expected.

Van Gisbergen didn’t just offer polite praise. He was genuinely blown away. He called Crews’ driving “like crazy” and said that if he had pushed with that same intensity, he would’ve been “worn out in two laps.” Coming from a driver of van Gisbergen’s caliber—someone who has competed at the highest levels across multiple motorsport disciplines—that’s not a throwaway compliment. And honestly, it tracks. Crews drove like someone who had nothing to lose and everything to gain. Because that’s exactly where he is in his career.

1. Who Is Brent Crews?

If you haven’t heard the name yet, now’s the time to learn it. Crews has been steadily building his reputation in lower-tier racing circuits, earning attention for his raw speed and aggression behind the wheel. But COTA was a different test entirely—a national stage, seasoned competition, high pressure, and a street course that punishes any driver who overthinks it. He didn’t overthink it. Not even close. At 17, Crews is still in the stage of his career where most young drivers are finding their footing, making mistakes, and learning the hard way. Instead, he showed up to his series debut and led laps. Analysts watching the race noted his ability to stay composed under pressure and execute when it counted most. That’s not something you can coach overnight. That’s natural talent meeting preparation.

2. A Bigger Story Playing Out in NASCAR

Crews wasn’t the only teenager making noise at COTA. Connor Zillisch, another young gun, also competed and turned heads in his own right. The fact that two teenage drivers were battling a Cup Series regular for the lead at one of NASCAR’s most technically demanding tracks is telling. NASCAR has been vocal about investing in young talent, and the results are showing up on the track. The next generation isn’t waiting patiently for their shot. They’re taking it. Van Gisbergen himself represents a different kind of new energy in NASCAR—an international star who crossed over from Australian Supercars and immediately made an impact. His embrace of Crews’ aggressive debut speaks to a broader culture shift in the series, where established drivers are genuinely excited about who’s coming up behind them.

3. What Comes Next for Gisbergen’s New Favorite Rookie

Crews is expected to keep racing in select O’Reilly Series events, and after COTA, the spotlight on him just got a whole lot brighter. Sponsorship interest will follow. More opportunities will open up. That’s how NASCAR works when a young driver catches the right eyes at the right moment. He caught all of them at COTA. Van Gisbergen won the race. But in the sport’s long memory, the highlight will be something else. COTA 2024 is going to be remembered as the day a 17-year-old named Brent Crews reminded everyone why they fell in love with racing in the first place.

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