“Something I’ve Struggled to Put Into Words”: Emotional Shane van Gisbergen Pens Heartfelt Farewell Message to Supercars Fraternity

Shane van Gisbergen has been a breath of fresh air in NASCAR. Starting with a historic win on debut in Chicago, he went on to show his road racing prowess with impressive performances in the Cup and Truck Series races in August at IMS and IRP, respectively. The 2024 season marks the start of the next chapter in his career, as he bids farewell to the Supercars Championship.

Penning down his acknowledgment, the 3-time Supercars champion composed a heartfelt post on Twitter. SVG has signed a deal with Trackhouse Racing that will see him race in NASCAR’s top three tiers. His arrival is a part of the Project 91 plan, which has been a window of opportunity for stars from other motorsports.

Shane van Gisbergen thanks the fans for their support

The 34-year-old Auckland native is not the only Supercars driver to enter the NASCAR fold. Brodie Kostecki, who ended Shane van Gisbergen’s Supercars championship streak this year, followed suit and used Erebus Motorsports’ alliance with Richard Childress Racing to debut at the Indy road course. After Richard Childress’s recent Australia tour, Kostecki has been rumored to run more races in 2024, and Mr Childress hopes to see him in a full-time role soon.

Shane van Gisbergen started his Supercars career with Team Kiwi Racing in 2007 and became the 200th driver to race in a V8 Supercar. His story with current employers Triple Eight Racing started in 2016 when he stepped into the shoes of Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes, the two most successful drivers in Supercars history. Since then the only way has been forward for van Gisbergen.

Sharing his gratitude on Twitter, he wrote, “To be thought of as the most popular V8 Supercar driver is something I’ve struggled to put into words. Thanks to everyone who has supported me for and against, it doesn’t matter, I just hope that you think the sport was better for having me in it. It’s been a privilege. Cheers.”

Even though Shane van Gisbergen lost the title defense to Brodie Kostecki, he has been one of the best-ever drivers in the competition’s history. However, to bid him an emotional farewell, the fans let him know of his contribution to racing to the continent. Before his final race in Adelaide, SVG was presented with the Most Popular Driver of the Year award.

SVG signs off with a prestigious award

Speaking about the way Supercars fans have stood behind him throughout his career, the Project 91 recruit said, “The fan stuff has been amazing, what the people have been saying and giving me and stuff, it’s been pretty cool.

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“To get the Popular Driver again by the fans is always something I never really know how to take or what to say about it; it’s pretty special to get that again. It’s been a tough weekend, and obviously we wanted to do better, but it’s exciting now looking forward to what’s about to happen. I travel (to the US) in a few weeks, start learning and getting into it.”

van Gisbergen and Triple Eight Racing finished second in their respective championship standings. Following a rare mechanical failure, the Kiwi stumbled to his first back-to-back DNFs in a decade. He lost his title to Kostecki after experiencing multiple discomforts in the car throughout the race.

However, the time is ripe for him to enter NASCAR. SVG’s addition to Trackhouse Racing implies added firepower on road courses. With Daniel Suarez already holding his fort on road courses, the team could have three drivers potentially fighting for playoffs. Ross Chastain‘s growth has also been instrumental to the team’s success. Overall, the atmosphere is perfect for SVG to grow his career.

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