It is certainly a great time to be Shane van Gisbergen. The New Zealander is set to compete full-time in the Xfinity Series next season with Kaulig Racing. While that comes along with participation in a minimum of seven Cup Series races with Trackhouse Racing, SVG gets more on-track time in the United States in 2024.

The three-time Supercars Champion will compete in the ARCA Menards Series season-opener at the Daytona International Speedway. What’s surprising though is that SVG will participate in two races on the same day.

Shane van Gisbergen needs to get approved for the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona

Not very long ago, Shane van Gisbergen’s schedule for 2024 was released. All set to participate in 33 Xfinity Series races with Kaulig Racing next year, he is bound to get a good taste of the racing in NASCAR. Additionally, the seven Cup Series races with Trackhouse Racing will only help him learn how different the two competitions are.

It is certainly going to be challenging for the Kiwi driver given how differently he has raced down under. Moreover, his schedule is bound to take a toll on him. However, the experience gained from it will be of immense help, especially when he decides to go full-time in the Cup Series.

Keeping all this in mind, the 34-year-old now has a different challenge ahead of himself. He is now set to compete in the ARCA Menards Series season-opener at Daytona International Speedway. While the main agenda of this race is to get him approved for the Xfinity Series, it will certainly help him get some practice on the superspeedway.

The news comes after Trackhouse Racing president Ty Norris confirmed it in an interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Speaking more about it, he said, “We’re in the process of getting [van Gisbergen] in the ARCA race for Daytona. There’s a [pre-race practice] in January and the Xfinity Series has a pretty lengthy practice, so there’s a lot of opportunities to be observed.”

Further, Norris explained how that will help SVG’s cause. He said, “That’ll lead to an approval for Daytona and once he’s approved at Daytona, we’ll be able to go to any track on the circuit.” However, this will turn into a tricky situation as van Gisbergen will have to compete in two different races on the same day.

Unsurprisingly, the fans did not take this news positively. The fact that Shane van Gisbergen has to undergo any sort of approval process has left many disappointed.

Shane van Gisbergen’s ARCA Menards Series venture at Daytona upsets the NASCAR fandom

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It was always going to be a daunting task to come race in NASCAR from abroad. Even for a champion like Shane van Gisbergen, it wouldn’t be as easy. While Trackhouse Racing made sure he got adequate racing experience, NASCAR’s approval process to race in the Xfinity Series hasn’t gone down well with the fans.

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Many feel that the standards from the governing body were unreasonable. One fan said, “lol the licensing standards are ridiculous.” At the same time, another fan pointed out NASCAR being inconsistent, saying, “Is it written anywhere how someone is cleared to race Daytona/Talladega? I’m aware Danica Patrick, Dario Franchitti, etc had to do similar programs in the past but, more recently, Conor Daly did not. Feels inconsistent.”

Funnily, one fan thought it was a gimmick to increase ticket sales. He said, “That’s one way to sell tickets to an ARCA race.” However, another fan felt offended by how SVG’s 2023 debut victory in Chicago held no merit. They said, “So he can win on a street course on a slippery track in Cup but has to prove himself in a race that’s basically a parade lol.”

While many slammed NASCAR, there were fans who thought van Gisbergen could handle it well. One fan said, “Doubleheader in one day. Won’t hurt him a bit.” On similar lines, another fan said, “ARCA before Xfinity. He will be just fine.”

Well, the ARCA Menards Series season-opener isn’t going to be a cakewalk for Shane van Gisbergen. In fact, it will show him the raw and true nature of racing in the United States. Having said that, he has the skillset to handle it well and hopefully, come out with flying colors.

READ MORE – Will Shane van Gisbergen’s Full-Time Xfinity Schedule Actually Serve the Purpose or Backfire at the Kiwi?