Supercars 2023: Shane van Gisbergen’s final-round title fight with Brodie Kostecki and NASCAR goals
Shane van Gisbergen is preparing for his final round in Supercars ahead of his move to NASCAR. He opens up on his big career switch and why he wants other drivers to follow him Stateside.
Supercars
Don't miss out on the headlines from Supercars. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Three-time champion Shane van Gisbergen has urged more Supercars drivers to follow his lead and pursue a racing in the United States as he prepares to close the chapter on his Australian V8 reign in a last-round title showdown with Brodie Kostecki in Adelaide.
Ahead of his final round as a Supercars driver before his move to the US to take up his dream of racing in NASCAR, van Gisbergen has opened up on his big career switch and outlined his goal of securing a full-time drive in the top-tier Cup Series in 2025.
After 15 years racing in Supercars, three drivers’ championships and three Bathurst 1000 crowns, the Kiwi ace will make the move to the US in December to prepare for his 2024 development program with Trackhouse Racing in which he will drive in a combination of NASCAR’s three national series – Cup, XFinity and Truck.
But first the defending Supercars champion has a final-round title battle with Kostecki to resolve as he makes a last-gasp bid to erase his Erebus Motorsport rival’s 131-point lead on the streets of Adelaide.
Kostecki is another Supercars driver with US links, having made his NASCAR Cup Series debut this year, while Ford star Cam Waters has also expressed his interest in trying his hand at racing in the States.
Van Gisbergen follows former Supercars drivers Marcos Ambrose (NASCAR) and fellow Kiwi Scott McLaughlin (IndyCar) in making the move to the States.
Asked if he could see other Supercars drivers wanting to follow him Stateside, van Gisbergen said he hoped more did.
“Yep and I hope they really do,” the Triple Eight star said.
“The way it is at the moment for sure America is appealing and even Europe.
“I think I have got so much better as a driver going and experiencing other things and there are plenty of very talented guys in Supercars.
“So I encourage them to go over to the States and get to Europe and expand their horizons a bit.”
Shane van Gisbergen appeared to enjoy his first NASCAR oval experience as he finished 19th in the truck race at Indianapolis Raceway Park. pic.twitter.com/5fIZCDW1mo
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) August 12, 2023
While he has already started packing up for his move to the US, van Gisbergen remained focused on ending his tenure in Supercars on a high in Adelaide next week.
The Triple Eight star already bagged one of the season’s big prizes on offer when he won a third Bathurst 1000 crown last month, alongside countryman Richie Stanaway.
But he was aware he was going to need the consistent Kostecki to stumble in Adelaide if he was to steal a fourth championship crown.
“I guess it’s not on me, it’s more on Brodie. I just focus on myself and do the best I can,” van Gisbergen said.
“It’s a big points gap, but it is what it is.
“I’m just focused on finishing off the year strong and having two good races at Adelaide.
“The future is pretty exciting, so I’m looking forward to getting to the States next month and having a crack.”
TRACKHOUSE TARGETS
Van Gisbergen is already well-advanced with his planning with Trackhouse Racing for his first full season in the US next year.
While his final schedule is yet to be confirmed, van Gisbergen expected he would be doing at least double the amount of races he would have been starting in Supercars.
“Now that their season has finished, they are working hard on next year’s program so it’s all pretty exciting and looking forward to doing a variety of races and series,” he said.
“And just learning as much as I can and trying to get better at it.
“I love racing and … seeing the Supercars calendar come out the other day (with 12 races in 2024), it’s going to be really fun doing more racing and we just don’t race enough here in this part of the world.
“It’s going to be a good change and I think you can get into a routine of racing and I think it would be fun doing most weekends.”
Van Gisbergen was aware the job ahead of him adjusting to racing on ovals in the US would be “very tough”.
“I had a little teaser in the truck race and those guys are very good and there is so much to it,” van Gisbergen said.
“It only looks like two corners on paper, but there is so much to it, the set-up, communication with the crew chief, the pit stops, the driving style, the track, there are so many different elements and when everything is so close, all the little things add up.
“It’s all attention to detail and techniques and time and practice, so it’s not going to be very easy for me, but I’m looking forward to that challenge.
“I have been on the sim quite a lot, doing a lot of ovals, different types of tracks and cars and stuff like that, just trying to learn as much as I can.
“I think sim is obviously good to give me an idea, but it’s not the real thing, but any racing experience I can get, I’m trying to do.”
After a season expanding his US racing education next year, van Gisbergen has set himself the goal of a full-time Cup Series berth in 2025.
“I would like to do it (Cup Series) in ‘25,” van Gisbergen said.
“So next year, do a learning year and all different classes and stuff and just start to build the experience bank and show people that I can do it full-time and then hopefully be in there the next year.
“I’m working towards that and hopefully ‘25 I’m full-time in the Cup stuff.”
ðŸ—£ï¸ | Max was 'literally screaming' watching Shane van Gisbergen win his debut NASCAR race
— RBR News 🇳🇱🇲🇽 (@redbulletin) July 6, 2023
"I stayed awake to watch it. I've never felt so nervous in my life watching someone else race and trying to win it.
I was literally screaming in front of my monitor for him to win that." pic.twitter.com/tRh8CCvMsQ
CHICAGO CALLING
Van Gisbergen often reflects on the performance which has opened the door to his US racing dream.
The 34-year-old stunned the motorsport world in July when he upstaged NASCAR’s best to win in his Cup Series debut in the inaugural Chicago street race.
He became the first driver in 60 years to win a race in his first Cup Series start.
“I would not be doing what I am doing without that,” van Gisbergen said.
“When I first went there and went to the oval the week before and then did the race myself the next week, I just thought I’m missing out on a lot here, this is pretty special and not what I thought it was.
“I did a lot of racing in America 2013, ‘14, ‘15 onwards and it just reminded me of that, it’s just so fun and so refreshing all of the way the racing is and the style of racing.
“It’s all fun, all the prep stuff is fun, you are going racing for the right reasons and then when the helmet goes on, it’s like a switch, like ‘Get serious’.
“It was a good reminder and I just enjoyed myself and you can kind of be yourself over there.”
Van Gisbergen had the NASCAR world absorbed by his heel-toe braking technique and even Formula 1 star and sim racing teammate Max Verstappen, watching from afar, referred to him as a “crazy right-foot braker”.
Van Gisbergen admitted he had been surprised by the reaction.
“It seems so normal for us, it’s just what we do here and what we have to do,” he said.
“It seems to translate all right to those cars.”
Van Gisbergen said the advice of Ambrose ahead of his initial NASCAR foray and since ahead of his full-time move had been invaluable.
“He has been awesome. Just the stuff that he has sent through and all the things to think about,” van Gisbergen said.
“We’re very similar in the reasons why we went across to the States and his experience has been invaluable and a huge head start.
“What he has sent to me, I can’t thank him enough for it. So many different ways of thinking, even the terminologies that they use.
“The racing style is so different to here, so any heads up I could get was huge.”
SUPERCARS GOODBYE
Reflecting on his career in Supercars, van Gisbergen said he would miss the people in the sport and the passionate fans, but his time had come to move on.
“I have worked with some cool people in racing and all the fans and stuff here are really passionate,” van Gisbergen said.
“I had a good time, but it’s time to go try something else.
“It’s not really finished yet, we have got another race to go. All I ever wanted to do in life was be a Supercar racer so to do that, to race V8 Supercars all my career has been pretty cool, but I have got a lot of years left and a lot of exciting times.
“So I’m more excited about the future coming up.”
Van Gisbergen said “never say never” when asked about his prospects of one day returning to race in Supercars.
Of course, any potential return as a co-driver for the Supercars would be determined by his full NASCAR schedule.
“Well hopefully I don’t (return to Supercars) because that means I have succeeded over there and I am racing full-time,” van Gisbergen said.
“I am fully focused on making a career there and being full-time in the Cup series. So that will mean I don’t come back here, but you never say never of course.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Supercars 2023: Shane van Gisbergen’s final-round title fight with Brodie Kostecki and NASCAR goals
NRL nightmare: F1 stars chased to steal Sydney thunder
The biggest names in world motorsport will be offered a chance to drive in a revolutionary racing event in Sydney, inadvertently leaving the NRL with a major headache at the start of the season.
Supercars hits back after driver’s ‘ghosting’ claims
Supercars has shot down claims from a driver he is being ghosted from the sport’s coverage, after an accusation camera operators were issued a directive to frame him out of the background.