Shane Van Gisbergen Has Opened the Flood Gates In NASCAR As Richard Childress Racing Sign Another Rival

Last year, the Trackhouse Racing Project 91 was in full swing. After luring Kimi Raikkonen for a couple of races, the team was on the hunt for its next international star. That came in the form of V8 Supercar’s star, Shane van Gisbergen, who instantly made an impact. In his very first race at the inaugural Chicago Street Course, he triumphed over many seasoned drivers. Since his arrival though, more and more V8 Supercars stars are eyeing NASCAR as a possible destination.

After the likes of Brodie Kostecki and Cameron Waters, another face has taken the trip overseas. That person is none other than Will Brown, who is linking up with Richard Childress Racing. Without a doubt, SVG has been the trigger for the V8 Supercars influx. The best part is that the new recruits are young and hungry, since van Gisbergen is in his mid-thirties, and the other three are relatively younger.

Shane van Gisbergen has been a trailblazer for non-NASCAR drivers

With his Chicago win, van Gisbergen not only stunned the regular drivers but shone hope on newcomers. Before the race, many would have probably expected him to just pick up a decent finish or languish near the back or struggle. So one could only imagine everyone’s surprise when the Kiwi driver snatched an unexpected victory. Certainly, the likes of Kostecki, Waters, and Brown now have hope that they can also mix it up among the big boys.

Waters is expected to compete for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, who recently earned a confidence boost. That was thanks to team owner and driver Brad Keselowski snatching his first win in 110 races. Admittedly, Brown’s Richard Childress Racing team has been going through a difficult time. However, Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon will be hard at work trying to rectify that.

Things have not gone to plan for Richard Childress Racing

So far this season, the Richard Childress Racing team has been struggling. Both Busch and Dillon are fairly low in the points standings and will be under pressure to win. This goes double for Kyle Busch, who could see his 20-year streak of at least one win, under threat.

Hopefully, the arrival of young blood in the form of Will Brown provides a much-needed impetus. The next race on the Cup Series calendar is the All-Star race, where only Busch and Dillon will be in the running. Will Brown’s Cup Series debut will come in a few weeks’ time at the Sonoma Raceway. Considering that it is a road course, the transition will likely be easier for the 25-year-old Australian.