The anticipated transition of Shane van Gisbergen to NASCAR is slated to take place under a development program that sees him driving in all three national series for Trackhouse Racing.
Van Gisbergen, a native of New Zealand, made an impressive debut in NASCAR racing on the streets of downtown Chicago early in July. Quite auspiciously for the Auckland-born driver, this debut race, conducted under the aegis of Trackhouse, heralded a victorious start to his journey in American stock car racing.
Post the triumphant debut, van Gisbergen expressed a strong desire to make a more permanent transition to the sphere of American stock cars, a sentiment he reaffirmed following a V8 Supercars race in Australia the same month.
Trackhouse Racing, placing immense faith in the 34-year-old Kiwi, has decided to construct a progressive program involving selected races in the Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series. This would also entail his participation in some other lower echelon races.
Van Gisbergen took this opportunity to reflect on his achievements and express his excitement about the new chapter in his professional life. “This announcement means so many things to me. I’m proud of what I have achieved here in Australia but I’m excited by this new chapter in my career and the opportunities that it brings,” he proclaimed.
With a record of being a three-time Supercar champion, van Gisbergen enjoys the full support of his Triple Eight Race Engineering team. The team, which races under the Red Bull Racing brand, has shown its understanding by giving a nod to van Gisbergen’s decision to leave for NASCAR.
Van Gisbergen’s first race on an oval was at the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park where he finished 19th. This race followed his victorious Chicago run and a 10th place finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course last month.
In the view of Trackhouse Racing team owner, Justin Marks, van Gisbergen’s 2024 racing schedule would be crafted to provide him the right mix of NASCAR experiences, promising a diverse learning process.
Marks highlighted the impending challenges while also asserting his faith in van Gisbergen by stating, “This is going to be a tremendous challenge for Shane, but he is a tremendous driver as we have all seen.”
Van Gisbergen, joining a growing roster of Kiwi racing luminaries, represents New Zealand’s thriving motorsports scene. With his compatriots, like Liam Lawson making a Formula One debut and Scott Dixon boasting a rich Indy car racing career, there is no doubt that the small island nation’s mark on the international racing scene is ever increasing.
As for van Gisbergen, who’s transition to NASCAR remains the talk of the town, the opportunities and tests that await him in the oval tracks of America are sure to make his journey an intriguing spectacle for fans, and an enriching voyage for him.
