Supercars: Van Gisbergen out, Brown in at Triple Eight
We all know that Shane van Gisbergen hoped to leave Australia and the Supercars series to race in NASCAR in 2024. Step 1 is complete.
–by Mark Cipolloni–
Triple Eight Race Engineering has announced the signing of Will Brown who will join Red Bull Ampol Racing from 2024 on a three-year deal, which means Van Gisbergen is leaving the team.
The Red Bull Racing star will finish up at the end of this season to pursue his overseas driving dreams in NASCAR.
The 25-year-old is a proven race winner and one of the category’s most exciting talents, and will join the team as part of the new partnership in January 2024.
Speaking in the US, van Gisbergen last week described Supercars racing as “mind numbing,” since the new Gen3 car was introduced.
“It’s not as enjoyable,” he said on the Dale Jr Download.
“Everyone’s got the same parts (just like NASCAR Shane).
“The qualifying there is awesome but the racing sucks – it’s so boring. You’re driving around at 30 percent trying to keep the tires and everyone’s just following each other.
“Everyone’s running the same set up basically.
“You just follow each other around – it’s mind-numbing. So I come here and like the race is just a hustle the whole time because you’re driving flat out and that’s what I love.”
Via a press release issued this afternoon by Triple Eight, they said the announcement comes as the team has agreed to allow Shane ‘SVG’ van Gisbergen to explore his dreams to race in overseas categories in 2024 and beyond.
Meanwhile, Red Bull Team Principal Jamie Whincup said that the team’s full focus is on our 2023 Championship assault.
“As we’ve made clear from the very start, Triple Eight wholeheartedly supports SVG’s decision to showcase his world-class talent abroad and we look forward to watching him continue to tear up the track like we witnessed in Chicago last month.
“Will has been on our radar for many years, since he was driving an ex-Triple Eight car in the Super2 championship. He is exciting to watch on track, very personable and most importantly, an excellent fit to our Triple Eight culture. The fact Broc [Feeney] and him grew up racing together and are friends away from the circuit is a bonus.
“Of course, we still have a fight on our hands to win the Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships this season, and that remains Triple Eight’s immediate focus.”
Brown and van Gisbergen return to the Supercars grid and will go head-to-head in this weekend’s 8th round of the 2023 Supercars Championship at The Bend in South Australia.
Brown is currently second in the Repco Supercars Championship race in his Coca-Cola Erebus Camaro, while van Gisbergen is third (13 points behind Brown), as he chases his third consecutive and fourth career Supercars title.
Brown’s teammate Brodie Kostecki leads the Championship from Brown by 41 points heading into this weekend’s action, which will be Supercars 600th all-time round of racing.
NASCAR Announcements Coming…
Van Gisbergen’s shift to NASCAR is gaining momentum for next year, with Trackhouse Racing in pole position to secure the 34-year-old’s signature.
“We’re working hard right now on putting a deal together for him,” Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks told US media.
“It’s my plan, he’ll race for Trackhouse next year alongside some of our partners in the Chevy family.
“He wants to do this. He’s done everything that he wants to do in Australia and he’s really excited.”
Shane van Gisbergen Career Statistics*
- 13th on all-time round starts list (222)
- 12th race starts list (502)
- 2nd in all-time podiums (174)
- 4th race wins (79)
- 2022 most ever wins in a season (21)
- 4th all-time for poles (48)
- 2 Bathurst wins (2020 and 2022)
- 2 other Bathurst podiums
- 2016, 2021 and 2022 Supercars Champion
- 2020, 2022 Bathurst 1000 Champion
- Three-time Adelaide 500 winner (2013, 2017 and 2018)
- 2016 Supercars Enduro Cup winner
- 2016 Bathurst 12 Hour winner
- 2023 NASCAR Chicago street race winner (on debut)
*(As of 16 August, 2023)