Joining NASCAR has been a dream for many Supercar drivers. Its high-speed action, packed scheduling, and diverse tracks have been an attraction for those looking to push their boundaries. From time to time many supercars drivers have not only transitioned but have dominated the American league. The latest name on this list is Shane van Gisbergen. The three-time Supercars champion made waves in NASCAR and his transition from Supercars has been very rewarding.

In his debut Xfinity season, he outplayed many veterans with his skills and got promoted to the Cup Series. After winning three races, Gisbergen signed a deal with Trackhouse Racing for his permanent shift to the cup series. However, despite having a successful on-track start Gisbergen had his struggles. The Kiwi superstar has shared some personal and professional hurdles that come with leaping. He also revealed why NASCAR remains out of reach for many Supercars drivers.

Why do Supercar drivers struggle to commit to NASCAR?

Amid the ongoing NASCAR off-season, Shane van Gisbergen has passed some exciting insights into his journey from Supercars to the American series. In the latest episode of KTM Summer Grill, Gisbergen had some candid conversations about his journey. While acknowledging the talent in Supercars, Gisbergen talked about a major roadblock i.e. commitment to families.

“There’s a lot of good guys and people I guess in my like position and want to go try something different and experience something else. So, yeah there’s a lot of interest but it’s a huge commitment especially for guys with families to move across the other side of the world and start something fresh,” he said.

Further speaking about the experience bought by a Supercar driver, Gisbergen said, “We’ve got some great guys here, but it would be good to have some road-course-focused guys and build up that program.” While NASCAR has been an oval show for years road course has become an integral part of its modern journey. In the last few years racing at road and street courses has attracted a lot of enthusiasm.

Gisbergen further explained the difficulties faced by drivers in adjusting to American soil. He said, “It’s been a lot different. I do miss home a lot you know. I loved getting back to New Zealand when I could, and it was a very tough start to the year. We probably could have lived in a little bit of a better spot. It took just a bit to get comfortable as well and then my mom was quite sick early in the year as well as soon as I moved over. So, it was very difficult in the first half of the year…”

Way ahead for Shane van Gisbergen

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Shane van Gisbergen made waves in NASCAR with his victory on his Cup series debut at Chicago Street Circuit in 2023. His dedication landed him a seat at the Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing with some part-time outings with Trackhouse in the Cup series. Despite being one of the most dynamic drivers on the track things won’t be easy for Gisbergen. In 2025 when he will fully transition to the NASCAR Cup Series, Gisbergen will be tested a lot at the Oval surface. He also understands the problem and considers it as a learning curve. Earlier this month, Gisbergen revealed his 2025 plans while acknowledging his oval track issues.

“Everything is different, especially on the oval side. That has been a huge learning experience and I can’t single out one thing. It’s a completely different sport. A different style of racing to anything that I have ever done. I was open-minded, and I had no expectations about results. For me, I felt like I got competitive at some points of the year. But I have a lot to learn and a lot to get better at,” said Gisbergen as quoted by Autosport.com.

However, Gisbergen believes that his decision to give a year in Xfinity was good. He believes that Xfinity gave him opportunities to learn and he is now ready for the Cup series. “I feel like I am ready and looking forward to the Cup series. I am glad I did a year of Xfinity to learn, even though the cars are a lot different. That was the right decision, to do a learning year and to settle into the country and the style of racing, before getting thrown to the sharks in the Cup series,” he added.

With 33 NASCAR Xfinity series starts and a dozen cup series races Shane van Gisbergen has had some experience. However, whether will he succeed as a full-time cup series driver is something that will be a mega storyline for the 2025 season.