NASCAR enthusiasts are buzzing about Shane van Gisbergen’s possible first appearance at the Chili Bowl. The New Zealand driver made his NASCAR debut last year during the 2023 Chicago Cup Series race. Justin Marks, co-owner of Trackhouse Racing, is excited about the prospect of having van Gisbergen compete in midget racing as well.
Notably, NASCAR stars Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson have both participated in the Chili Bowl, with Bell being a three-time champion and Larson a two-time winner. It appears that van Gisbergen’s debut is becoming more likely, as Marks is eager to secure a spot for the 35-year-old driver.
Having raced in the midget series from 1998 to 2004, van Gisbergen is no stranger to dirt racing. As he prepares for this potential Chili Bowl debut, he shared his thoughts (via Speedcafe).
“Justin’s really interested in making this happen, and I have some experience in midget racing. However, it can be quite challenging for someone of my size to handle those cars. I had a chat with Kyle Busch about it since he participated in the Tulsa shootout with micro cars the week before, and he mentioned how tough it is. Plus, there are no strict rules at the Chili Bowl. All the cars are lightweight, and the drivers tend to be too, so being over 60 kilos puts you at a significant disadvantage,” van Gisbergen explained.
Motorsport journalist Adam Stern recently took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to announce the exciting possibility of Trackhouse Racing’s driver making his debut.
This news sparked a lively discussion among fans, who shared their thoughts on Shane van Gisbergen’s potential entry into midget racing.
“Oh hell yeah,” exclaimed one enthusiastic fan.
“Okay, this is badass,” another chimed in.
One fan humorously noted, “Oh, Kyle Larson is about to get embarrassed; I might have to watch my first-ever Chili Bowl if this happens.”
However, not all reactions were positive, as some fans expressed skepticism about van Gisbergen’s ability on oval tracks, given that all his NASCAR victories have come on road courses.
“Well, that won’t work; he can’t drive on ovals, so what makes him think he can handle a small dirt oval?” one fan remarked.
“He should focus on improving his skills on NASCAR ovals first; otherwise, he’s just a one-trick pony,” another fan added.
Shane van Gisbergen is set to secure a full-time Cup Series seat with Trackhouse Racing starting in 2025.
Before stepping into this high-speed arena, van Gisbergen made a name for himself as a top competitor in the Supercars Championship, boasting an impressive record of 81 wins and three championships (2016, 2021, and 2022) from 508 races. Last year, he narrowly missed out on his fourth title, finishing in second place.
Since becoming a part of NASCAR, the Trackhouse Racing driver has experienced a whirlwind career. After clinching victory at the Chicago Street Race in his first Cup Series outing, he followed up with a solid tenth-place finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. SVG is currently competing full-time in the Xfinity Series, where he has already notched three wins, five top-5 finishes, and six top-10s.
Next season, Trackhouse Racing plans to expand to a three-car Cup team. However, with Zane Smith and SVG vying for the same seat, management faced a tough decision, ultimately choosing to let Smith go.
In discussing the choice to go with Shane van Gisbergen for the #88 car over Smith, Trackhouse’s co-owner explained (via Jeff Gluck on X), “It’s a commercial sport; it’s about fitting the company, personality, and all that. We don’t have four cars, we have three. We’re thrilled with the decision we made regarding SVG.”
While Shane van Gisbergen’s future in the Cup Series looks bright, Zane Smith has yet to finalize a contract for the upcoming season.
