Supercars: Van Gisbergen to make NASCAR return at Indy
Reigning Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen is headed stateside again to back up his sensational NASCAR debut from earlier this month.
Van Gisbergen became the first NASCAR Cup driver to win on debut when he took victory on the streets of Chicago in early July, and has now been confirmed as coming back to the states to race in the NASCAR Cup Series again on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on the weekend of August 13.
The Kiwi, who returns with Trackhouse Racing’s Project91 program, will not be the only Supercars star on the NASCAR grid, as 25-year old West Australian Brodie Kostecki was confirmed on Tuesday to race in a third entry for Richard Childress Racing at the event.
“I never dreamed this could have all rolled out this way,” said van Gisbergen who returned to Supercar competition in Australia days after leading nine laps and winning by 1.259 seconds in overtime at Chicago.
“Just getting to race in NASCAR is an opportunity I never thought I would get, but then to win and get another chance this year is beyond anything I imagined. I can’t thank (Trackhouse founder and owner) Justin Marks, everyone at Trackhouse Racing and NASCAR for this opportunity.
“Everyone in NASCAR welcomed me to Chicago and it’s been awesome to see how big the reception from that race has been around the world. I am honored to be part of it.”
Three-time Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin will also be in action at the Racing Capital of the World, as he competes for Team Penske in the INDYCAR Series at the only event of the year where America’s top two racing series share the same circuit on the same weekend.
Trackhouse Racing team owner Richard Marks is thrilled to bring back the big Kiwi for a second cameo in NASCAR equipment.
“After a performance like that it’s only natural to want to keep this going,” said Marks. “Shane showed he is a world-class talent and what he did in Chicago was truly remarkable.
“PROJECT91, Trackhouse Racing and the fans of NASCAR benefit by bringing him back. I don’t think I am being overly dramatic when I say the entire motorsports world will be watching the No. 91 Chevrolet at Indianapolis.”
Van Gisbergen and Kostecki will head to America following next weekend’s Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight at Sydney Motorsport Park, which features the only night race on the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship calendar.
Following the Verizon 200 in Indianapolis on August 13, both drivers will immediately head back to Australia for the eighth round of the 2023 Supercars season at the OTR SuperSprint at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia, August 18-20