Shane van Gisbergen became a fan of NASCAR because of Marcus Ambrose. The three-time Supercars champion made a splash in the world of NASCAR in 2023 by winning the Chicago Street Race in his debut. He competed for Trackhouse Racing in the Chevy Project 91 and made history. After his impressive performance, SVG received more opportunities to showcase his talent before finally signing a contract as a development driver with Trackhouse.
During the offseason, the driver moved from his native country, New Zealand, to the United States. Currently, he is competing full-time in the Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing team to learn the art of racing on oval tracks. Recently, Shane van Gisbergen appeared on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast, hosted by the retired Cup champion. He shared his teenage years as a NASCAR fan, revealing that he was a dedicated supporter.
Although initially drawn to the sport because of Marcos Ambrose, an Australian NASCAR driver who won two races, SVG grew up as a fan of Tony Stewart. This connection was significant for Harvick, who is a close friend of Stewart and competed for his SHR team, where he won the Cup title in 2014.
Ambrose is a highly talented driver, having won the Supercars title twice. After dominating the Australian racing scene, he sought new challenges and expanded his legacy by entering NASCAR. From 2006 to 2014, Ambrose competed in over 300 races across all three national NASCAR series. He had a solid debut in the Truck Series in 2006 and raced in over 77 events in the second division starting in 2007, winning four races. In his seven-year Cup career, Ambrose had over 200 starts and two victories.
Shane van Gisbergen has a remarkable success story to follow in the Australian racing scene and, if he works hard enough, he may potentially surpass it. With the support of top-level teams like Trackhouse and Kaulig, it is up to SVG to accelerate his learning curve and prove his worth to achieve his dream of securing a permanent spot in the Cup in 2025.
