After his stunning victory in Chicago, Shane van Gisbergen is ready to make a return to the NASCAR Cup Series
Shane van Gisbergen is making his return to NASCAR after winning the Chicago street race. The three-time Supercars champion will rejoin Trackhouse Racing when the Cup Series visits the Indianapolis road course next month.
Series regulars will be feeling slightly more comfortable in Indianapolis than they were in Chicago. The street circuit was a brand-new track for every driver in the field that day. Van Gisbergen even held a slight advantage with his experience racing street circuits in Australia.
This time around Cup Series drivers will hold onto a slight advantage having raced the Indy road course the previous two seasons. This race will be the closest way to measure how van Gisbergen compares as he eyes a move to NASCAR.
Shane van Gisbergen has expressed interest in competing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series as early as next year. Triple Eight Race Engineering, the team van Gisbergen drives for in Australia, is willing to let him out of his contract early to pursue that goal.
Shane van Gisbergen will race the Trackhouse Project91 car again at Indy road course. https://t.co/pTs5SGqLP2
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 19, 2023
BREAKING: Triple Eight Race Engineering boss Jamie Whincup has told Fox Sports News he wouldn't stand in Shane van Gisbergen's way if he wants to get out of his @supercars contract a year early and race in the NASCAR series in America. More on ch's 500 & 602 from 11am AEST. pic.twitter.com/ldCkUzRHqB
— FOX SPORTS News (@FOXSportsNews) July 4, 2023
Star-Studded Field
Shane van Gisbergen will not be the only international superstar racing in Indianapolis. Jenson Button is returning to make his third start of the season with Rick Ware Racing.
Kamui Kobayashi and Brodie Kostecki will each be making their NASCAR Cup Series debuts as well. Kostecki, like van Gisbergen, joins from the Supercars Championship. Kobayashi currently races in both the World Endurance Championship and Super Formula in Japan.
Having won at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex 24 at Daytona, and multiple world championships Kobayashi is regarded as one of the best sports car drivers in the world. This diverse collection of talent in the NASCAR Cup Series is exactly what was envisioned when the next-gen car was introduced.
