Last year, Kyle Busch was named a wildcard entry for the 2024 Adelaide 500 in the Supercars Championship. Normally, the series does not feature one-off contestants, but Rowdy made an exception as part of their partnership with Richard Childress Racing and Erebus Motorsport. Recently at Speed Cafe, a report surfaced that Shane van Gisbergen may also take part in the Adelaide 500, along with IndyCar racer Scott McLaughlin.
The news caused a lot of excitement among fans who were eager to see the former Supercars champion in action in the V8 series. However, Shane van Gisbergen took to social media to question his participation at the Adelaide Street Circuit in 2024.
Shane van Gisbergen refutes rumors about Adelaide 500 participation
According to a Speedcafe article, the existing Trico Trans Am team has contacted Shane van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin with an offer to take part in the 2024 VAILO Adelaide 500. Both drivers have already had significant success in the race, with Shane van Gisbergen winning in 2013, 2017 and 2018, and Scott McLaughlin winning in 2019 and 2020. The race is scheduled to take place from November 14th to 17th, which does not conflict with her appearances in NASCAR or IndyCar.
However, the report states that it is unclear whether either driver will consider the offer. Shane van Gisbergen has now expressed serious doubts about taking part in the event. The 35-year-old commented on the Speedcafe article: Shane van Gisbergen, who is currently racing full-time in the Xfinity Series, has already won three races in 20 and is expected to qualify for the playoffs. The New Zealander hopes to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series next season, and various reports have linked him to Trackhouse Racing.
The Adelaide 500 traditionally does not allow one-off entries, but this time an exception will be made. The Australian Racing Group has informed competitors that they must take part in two rounds of the Trico Trans Am Series. This means that drivers who have not raced in Trans Am this year will have to compete in both EVENTelec Race Queensland and Supercheap Auto Bathurst International.
It remains to be seen whether Kyle Busch will be exempt from this rule due to his participation in the 2024 Adelaide 500, while Scott McLaughlin’s participation is unconfirmed. In the unlikely event that Shane van Gisbergen also takes part in the Adelaide 500, it will be interesting to see if he will also have to take part in two rounds of the Trico Trans-Am Series. The New Zealander has certainly expressed an interest in competing in Trans-Am in recent years, but various circumstances have forced him to withdraw.
Why did van Gisbergen pull out of Trans Am in the past?
Former Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen had been considering competing in Trans Am for some time. The New Zealander had registered for the Bathurst round of the Trans Am series in April 2022, but had to withdraw at the last minute due to contracting COVID-19.
As a result, his appearance at the QR SpeedSeries event was postponed by a month, but it was also cancelled. The reason was that his Supercars team, Triple Eight, would not allow Shane van Gisbergen to add Trans Am to his already busy schedule. The New Zealander had already tested Tim Shaw’s Chevrolet Camaro at Queensland Raceway in preparation for his Trans Am appearance in early 2022. Regarding Shane van Gisbergen’s failure to participate in the Australian National Trans-Am Series, Shaw said: “We made a great effort to get Shane in the car. The test with him was successful and it was a great day. We were looking forward to a very competitive race at Queensland Raceway.
Shane got COVID just before the Bathurst round, which put an end to that, but now political pressure has put an end to it completely.” The New Zealander has all but admitted that he will not take part in the 2024 VAILO Adelaide 500, but fans are hoping for a reversal of fortunes. As it stands, Shane van Gisbergen is firmly focused on NASCAR, where he hopes to win a championship in the Xfinity Series by the end of the year and then move on to the Cup Series in 2025.
His performance this season has guaranteed him a spot in NASCAR’s top class, and even if he doesn’t win the coveted title, it would be surprising if he doesn’t qualify for next year’s Cup Series. Do you think Shane van Gisbergen should compete in the Adelaide 500? Let us know in the comments!
