There are striking similarities between Australia’s Gen 3 V8 Supercars and NASCAR’s Next-Gen cars, from their engineering to their on-track performance. These parallels extend to the drivers themselves, who share a competitive spirit and a hunger for high-speed success. As a result, it’s no surprise that drivers from these two racing worlds are increasingly crossing over to compete on each other’s turf. Interestingly, the movement from Australia to America, particularly to NASCAR, is growing more prominent with each passing year.

From established names like Cam Waters, Will Brown, and Brodie Kostecki to the formidable Shane van Gisbergen, Aussie drivers are making their mark on the American racing scene. But what’s behind this growing trend? Why are Australian drivers increasingly drawn to NASCAR? In this piece, we dive deep into the factors driving this movement, from the allure of international competition to the potential for career growth on NASCAR’s globally recognized stage.

NASCAR vs. Supercar: Differences, Similarities, and Choices

Shane van Gisbergen, a three-time Supercars Champion, has proven his adaptability by excelling not only in the Australian series but also by winning his first Cup Series race in NASCAR. Over the past two years, several Australian Supercars drivers have made the switch to NASCAR, reflecting a growing trend. Years earlier, Scott McLaughlin made a similar move to IndyCar, joining Roger Penske’s team. So why are drivers increasingly leaving Supercars for NASCAR? Despite the many similarities between the two series, other factors are driving the shift.

According to Jake Sim Racing, “The first obvious reason is that the cars are so similar that the learning curve won’t be as steep, especially on road courses.” This resemblance allows drivers to transition smoothly and perform competitively. But for some, like van Gisbergen, the current state of Supercars regulations plays a significant role in their decision to leave.

Van Gisbergen didn’t hold back in expressing his frustration with Supercars. “The qualifying there is awesome, but the racing sucks. It’s so boring. You’re driving around at 30% trying to keep the tires, and everybody is just following each other. The tire explodes because it’s running too high, and you just follow each other around. It’s mind-numbing. I came here to NASCAR, and the race was just a hustle the whole time. You’re driving flat out. That’s what I love. Now is a good time to switch.”

Now, some fans might feel this is a joke, especially considering that modern-day NASCAR racing is quite similar. However, here is some more context on what’s going wrong with the Australian racing series. This year’s Bathurst 1000 was called forgettable by fans, even though it’s one of the most high-profile events in the racing calendar. Not only did it lack creativity, but it also failed severely in inspiring the imagination of the audience.

The situation was so pathetic that even Tickford Racing asked, “Anyone else bored?” For the unversed, Tickford Racing is a team competing in Supercars. Besides, Supercars accepted that things did not go well. It makes one wonder if the discontent is more widespread than what’s usually seen around. However, with all said and explained, it’s undebatable that after winning almost every possible title in Supercars, it was time for SVG to make the move to NASCAR.

But is that it? No, there are more reasons that drivers are eager to switch. One of them is the format of the race and how it’s run. There are three races per weekend, except the Bathurst. Total race weekends on schedule for the 34 races in 2025? Thirteen. Thats it. Jake Sim Racing said in his YT video, “This gives drivers ample time to make appearances in other series. And, with NASCAR increasing the number of road courses recently. There’s a higher chance one of them falls during a break in the Supercars calendar.”

It’s important to note here that this may be the case because the tracks that the Australian racing uses are under serious threat. Some of them have closed already. The real estate sharks are eyeing them aggressively. The local government is also seen in the fray. Imagine the environment this might be creating for racing. Like Jake Sim said, “It becomes difficult to come up with a good schedule when your tracks are shuttering their doors constantly.”

JSR also added that he wanted to get an opinion from an actual Supercars fan. This is what the fan told JS, “The local element of our sport has been slowly siphoned. Iconic tracks have since been excluded from the calendar, and long-running teams have been backing out. The commentary has sucked for years, and gen three just isn’t doing anything for me. These cars have barely any presence or relevance in Australia. They’re soulless. Half of the appeal for me, other than the quality of the racing, was that the cars actually used to at least look like the cars that you’d see every day and that you could buy.”

Can things change for Supercars?

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Supercars is set to adopt the highly debated playoff system format from NASCAR, making it the first international series to follow in NASCAR’s footsteps for the 2025 season. While this move has sparked intrigue, it remains to be seen whether it will benefit the series or lead to unintended consequences. Critics, like JSK, believe the change could backfire.

“Supercar following suit is honestly a silly mistake from a series that is already losing a ton of star power. Ironically, in some ways, this exact message could be copied and pasted, with a few words changed, and it would also be a totally fitting description of modern-day NASCAR,” JSK remarked.

NASCAR, which introduced the playoff format in 2017, has long faced scrutiny over the system’s fairness. The playoff structure, with its four rounds, has significantly influenced championship outcomes, often at the expense of season-long consistency. The criticism reached new heights this year when Joey Logano won his third Cup Series title. Despite clinching the championship, his full-season points would have placed him only 12th—a fact that left fans questioning whether postseason victories were being prioritized over consistent performance.

As NASCAR heads into the off-season, there are plans to review the format amid growing discontent. The debate boils down to one critical question: Is the system rewarding dramatic finales at the cost of undervaluing consistent excellence throughout the season? For Supercars, the decision to mirror NASCAR’s controversial model comes at a precarious time.

With a talent exodus already affecting the series, implementing a divisive playoff format could alienate its existing fan base further. The success or failure of this change will likely influence Supercars’ trajectory in the coming years. The 2025 season will be pivotal for Supercars as it attempts to reinvigorate its championship. Will the gamble pay off, or could it end up being a misstep that benefits its competitors? Only time will tell.