The three-time champion of the Supercar racing league aims to secure a permanent position until the year 2025. Shane van Gisbergen, together with Justin Marks, owner of Trackhouse Racing, made his debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona on Monday. Unfortunately, luck was not on the side of the New Zealand driver as he found himself involved in several incidents and accidents towards the end of the race. However, despite the challenges he faced, the 34-year-old driver firmly believes that he belongs in the prestigious world of stock car racing.
Having made a strong impression in NASCAR last year, van Gisbergen caught the attention of teams after his significant victory with Project91 during his debut at the Chicago Street Race. After 15 years competing in the Supercar series, the New Zealand driver decided to end his participation at the end of the 2024 season. Reflecting on his Xfinity debut, SVG expressed his pleasure and a genuine sense of belonging to the series.
Determined to prove his worth in the base series, the New Zealand driver firmly believes he deserves a place in the world of NASCAR. Despite his challenging race, it does not compare to his previous season in ARCA, where he finished last. However, van Gisbergen remains optimistic and eagerly awaits his next race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Currently ranked 13th in the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship standings, the Kaulig Racing driver had a chaotic start to the season. One of the main incidents that occurred during the race was a collision with another driver at the end. SVG took responsibility for his mistake and apologized to the driver afterwards.
“That was another intense race! I gained valuable momentum and enjoyed the experience overall. I ended up getting caught up in other people’s mess, but I made my own mistake in the end by misjudging the side pressure, causing the car 27 to spin as I tried to join the line. My sincere apologies to him!” SVG tweeted.
With his next race in Atlanta approaching, the Supercar champion has learned from his mistakes and is determined to have a strong season. His ultimate goal is to impress Trackhouse Racing enough to secure a spot in the coveted Cup series for the 2025 season.
