Van Gisbergen: ‘One more year in Oz’

Shane van Gisbergen. Picture: NASCAR

Shane van Gisbergen has given a big hint that he will leave Supercars next year to race in NASCAR full-time from 2025.

“I’m doing one more year in Oz and then I’d love to come over here,” he said when told lots of teams would be interested in him driving their car, during his post-race TV interview.

The two-time Bathurst 1000 winner recently signed a new, two-year contract with Triple Eight Race Engineering which takes effect next year, but has a get-out clause should he land a drive in another category in 2025.

In recent days, van Gisbergen admitted he had started to look at NASCAR for a variety of reasons including dissatisfaction with Supercars, where he has been the benchmark driver.

Having just become the first debutant to win a Cup Series race in 60 years, it would seem he would have no shortage of NASCAR offers now.

Asked if he could have anticipated the victory when he landed the drive with Trackhouse Racing in the Project91 Chevrolet Camaro, van Gisbergen said, “No, of course not, but you always dream of it, and thank you so much to the Trackhouse, Enhance Health, Project91.

“Man, what an experience, and the crowd out here… Like, this was so cool. It’s what you dream of. Hopefully I can come and do more.”

The three-time Supercars champion had run among the leading bunch until a Lap 45 Caution and NASCAR’s decision to shorten the race, which started late due to rain, turned the contest on its head.

He and those who had been vying for the lead were on the wrong end of fortune and Christopher Bell, who won the first two stages, was back to 12th while van Gisbergen was 18th.

However, a combination of his speed against his key rivals, and fresher tyres than those who had lucked in with the Caution, saw SVG charged back through to take the lead with less than eight laps to go.

He had to redress that given a Caution had been called seconds earlier, but passed Justin Haley for good upon the next restart, with five laps to go, and was not headed again despite having to survive an Overtime finish.

“When we had that bad strategy back to 18th, I started to worry a bit,” said the New Zealander.

“But, had some full sends on some people and the racing was really good, everyone was respectful. It was tough, but a lot of fun.”