As the experienced Shane van Gisbergen explores what it’s like to drive in both the Xfinity and Cup Series as a rookie, his journey so far has been quite the rollercoaster, to say the least. From winning on his debut last year to getting penalized and losing out on a podium, the Kiwi has gotten a taste of what NASCAR is all about. However, there’s one aspect he’s yet to fully grasp.
Coming over from Australian Supercars, Shane van Gisbergen first had to adjust from kilometers to miles, and now, the Kaulig Racing driver finds himself to be the butt of all jokes as he had a hilariously confusing moment with his spotter during the Talladega Race. Fortunately, Kaulig Racing is leaving no stone unturned to help out the Kiwi guest.
Josh Williams has the perfect gift for Shane van Gisbergen’s American dilemma
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
When the Garage 56 Camaro ZL1 made its way to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, fans quickly caught on to a catchphrase that would become a meme for American motorsports. ‘What the f*** is a kilometer!’ was the notion fans latched onto as they had to dissect the WEC’s metric system on the broadcast. That said, the script was flipped as the Supercars veteran Shane van Gisbergen stole the show at Talladega with his confusion over what a ‘foot’ is.
As Kyle Busch was trailing behind SVG, his spotter let him know that Rowdy was just a foot away from his rear, but this led to a lot of head-scratching for the Kiwi, who isn’t too familiar with the Imperial system himself. Fortunately for SVG, his Xfinity Series teammate at Kaulig Racing has him all covered. Josh Williams had the perfect gift to help him out with avoiding another incident of radio confusion in the future.
Taking to X, the #97 driver shared; “My Buddy @Josh6williams bought me a couple of foot-long conversion rulers to help get me up to speed! We learnin. Think I might tape it to the roof of the race car 😀” The Kaulig Racing Xfinity teammates held out the foot-long rulers against the next-gen chassis and gave the community big smiles in the attached photo. Finally, SVG’s confusion had a solution in sight!
My Buddy @Josh6williams bought me a couple of foot long conversion rulers to help get me up to speed! We learnin. Think I might tape it to the roof of the race car 😀 pic.twitter.com/CMdrEmQeqX
— Shane van Gisbergen (@shanevg97) April 24, 2024
Although the NASCAR community laughed at the expense of van Gisbergen last time around, fans poured in to share their positive reactions and acknowledged Josh Williams’ wholesome gesture.
“Love it!” – The NASCAR community can’t get enough of the Kaulig Racing camaraderie
Trending
Tony Stewart’s Wife Leah Pruett Pens a Heartfelt Message for Husband After His Unwavering Support for His Family
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Offers a Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity to His Loyal Fanbase as He Gears Up for His Return With Budweiser
JRM Prodigy & Kelley Earnhardt’s Son Earn Major Backing as Dale Jr.’s Loyal Partners Announce 2025 Return
“It Drives Like a Forklift” – Shane van Gisbergen Controversially Splits the Difference Between NASCAR’s Proud Next Gen and Xfinity Cars
Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin’s Gamble on Tony Stewart’s Money Loaded Star Could Not Be Worth the Financial Hassle
Shane van Gisbergen may have been a NASCAR resident for a short period up to this point, but the Kiwi is already making quite a few friends in the sport, and fans are loving every second of it. Reflecting on Josh Williams’ gift to his teammate, a fan seemed impressed with the camaraderie the duo has managed to build up and even appreciated Josh Williams.
This is awesome. That’s what friends are for!!
— Chris B 🇺🇸 𝕏 (@USMC_NASCARFire) April 24, 2024
However, there were also some fans who decided to take the sarcastic route, with one fan coming up with a hilarious ‘hack’!
Take a meter stick, break it in half. That's "about" a foot.
— Matt C (@highnoon0394) April 24, 2024
Speaking of returning the favor, fans were also eager for SvG to help Josh Williams out if he ever moved to a European series.
Now you need to buy him a meter stick
— Ross Crashtain (@RossCrashtain) April 24, 2024
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Then again, another fan decided to remind Shane van Gisbergen that he wouldn’t have to worry if he ever comes to Canada.
Baha, incredible. Don't worry Shane. If you guys come to Canada and race it's just like back home. 🏁🤙🏻
— Ryan Holman (@RyanHolman88) April 24, 2024
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Now that the rulers from Josh Williams were in good hands, fans also wanted to help SvG out with their own scales. One fan tweeted, “Quick metric conversion. A ruler is about 2 and a half Red Bull cans long” as another shared, “It’s about 6 Wendys fries laid end to end.”
After taking a look at the fan reception of Josh Williams’ gift to SvG, do you think the Kiwi has everything he needs to get up to speed with what a ‘foot’ is?