Why would a Kiwi superstar leave behind a stable and assured future in Australian V8 Supercar racing for NASCAR, which he is new to? Obviously, this speedster is no stranger to high-speed vehicles, but there are a few aspects that are exclusive to stock car racing. Would someone want to take the risk and start afresh?
One might think there must be a reward that far overpowers the risk. And so does Dale Earnhardt Jr. In a recent episode of his podcast, he revealed what he thinks about Shane Van Gisbergen’s plans to switch to NASCAR as a full-time driver next year.
Dale Earnhardt Jr trusts SVG on his venture in the arena of NASCAR
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After winning his debut race in Chicago, Van Gisbergen became the sixth non-American to win a Cup Series race. Being fourth in the Supercar standings, this New Zealander also became the first driver to win his maiden race in NASCAR, since Johnny Rutherford won his first Cup Series start, 60 years ago.
After such a glorious start, it is quite natural to want to continue. In fact, it is a win-win situation for both Trackhouse Racing Team and SVG. It goes without saying that the entire NASCAR community will fixate on the #91 Chevrolet during the upcoming race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 13.
Dale Junior explained to co-host Mike Davis that since he is established himself in the Supercars Championship, there has to be something, not visible to everyone, that is attracting the Kiwi to NASCAR.
He said, “I believe that he already has all his teams lined up and that he would not turn his back on what’s going on for him in v8 Supercar. He would not turn his back on what’s stable and secure without a plan already in place.”
According to Junior, SVG will start his journey with a team that accommodates his future in Kiwi as well. Gisbergen has been in the sport for quite some time now and he knows better than just giving up the prospects of what he has already achieved for what he might achieve in the future.
“I think that the decision on who and what he will drive in NASCAR are nearly shored up or laying right there in front of him. He is very aware of what team he has opportunity with,” he speculated.
While the New Zealander has the fans’ blessing coming into NASCAR for the second time, there is a change he could struggle at Indianapolis track.
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Why Shane Van Gisbergen might struggle at Indianapolis?
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For Brickyard, the entry list already has names like sports car divo Kamui Kobayashi, SVG’s old supercar adversary Brodie Kostecki, and 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button.
Besides that, other road course masters like AJ Allmendinger and, of course, Chase Elliott will be competing against the 34-year-old Auckland native. So the thrill is just off the charts. After seeing his performance in Chicago, his fans are probably laid back, thinking he could ace the race with ease. But is it that simple?
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Throwback to Chicago. It had rained cats and dogs before the race started. So much so that the race had to be cut short. In a road course like Chicago, there is no runoff. Moreover, the street course was new to all NASCAR drivers, back then. And, SVG had the experience of running on multiple street courses over the years.
But other NASCAR drivers know what Indianapolis looks like. They are well aware of the terrain which SVG is not. Not to mention the turn 1 in Indianapolis, which is barely enough to fit two cars side by side. To battle 40 700-horsepower-beasts and come out in one piece on the other side might be a challenge for the rookie.
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It all comes down to a week’s worth of waiting. Will SVG overcome all the hurdles in front of him and prove his fans right? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, who do you place your bets on in this road course bonanza?