Shane Van Gisbergen Reveals Why He Is Stepping Away From Supercars Championship

The inaugural race on the streets of Chicago has surely left a sweet aftertaste among NASCAR enthusiasts. An aftertaste that is still relished and has left the audience requesting a star-studded roster of drivers for its Cup Series race in Indianapolis on Sunday. Among those celebrated names also includes the victor from the inaugural race Shane Van Gisbergen, the 3x Supercars champion. The New Zealander had swept the tracks of the street circuit, leaving the fans in awe of his racing prowess. Moreover, van Gisbergen had also sent shockwaves just days back, announcing that he could join NASCAR as a full-time driver earlier than expected. 

However, what came as a surprise was why would SVG, who has tasted victory and was at the pinnacle of his career in the world of Supercars, readily decided to leave behind Supercars and join NASCAR. Well, the answer behind this leap of faith lies in the recent episode of Dale Jr Download.

Shane Van Gisbergen reveals the reason behind the sudden decision to leave Supercars

Apart from racing in the Cup Series on Sunday, under the banner of Project 91 for a second time, Shane Van Gisbergen has also added another race to his NASCAR schedule. The driver is also slated to race in the Craftsman Truck Series on Friday on the track of Indianapolis Raceway Park for Niece Motorsports. SVG believes that the races would act as a learning ball for him before he enters NASCAR full-time.

It is surely a known fact that drivers from other formats of motor racing had tasted victory, after shifting their focus to NASCAR, and one such burning name being Marcos Ambrose. The Australian, like SVG, was also a V8 Supercar champion and later shifted across the Pacific and try his hands in stock car racing. Following the same trajectory, SVG is also set to enter NASCAR full-time perhaps by next year.

While the speculations regarding SVG’s joining Cup Series are on the rise, the 2x Bathurst winner divulged why the sudden shift in the decision. In the latest episode of Dale Jr Download, SVG disclosed, “Yeah, it’s been a bit difficult I guess in Australia. A bit different after doing well the last couple of years and the way the sports changed. It’s like- ‘Oh it’s kind of entertaining now to come here’ and maybe try something else.”

Dale Jr added, “So that’s a great point. The fact that the next-gen car is now an independent rear diff. I mean rear suspension, the way this thing’s built. Much more similar to the Supercar, but also more similar to anything out there in road course racing.”

“That’s why we’re seeing guys like you, Kobayashi, and other people more interested or eager to take opportunities and come run,” Junior concluded.

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The Kiwi spills the beans on his experience in driving in the Supercars

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The Kiwi in a candid conversation with Junior also spilled the beans on his experience in racing in the tracks of the island continent. SVG revealed to Junior, “The qualifying there is awesome but the racing s**ks, it’s so boring,”

SVG was also appreciative of how NASCAR was striving to make the races more versatile and dynamic in nature. The governing body was trying to incorporate various racing packages in order to suit the requirements of the Next-gen cars. The driver also expressed that it was the constant presence of challenges that appealed the most about NASCAR.

He stated, “Yeah, so I come here, and like the race’s just a hustle the whole time. Driving flat-out that’s what I love.”

With that being said, it will be interesting to see if the road experience holds water on Friday’s oval course race, and will SVG be able to notch another victory to his name, or will the track turn out to be a roadblock to his NASCAR future? 

Read More: “He’s Going to Be Really Good” – SVG Backs Fellow Supercars Driver as Worry for NASCAR Drivers Increases