Dale Earnhardt Jr. breaks silence on Shane van Gisbergen taking over the iconic No:88 Chevy for 2025

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is excited to see what Shane van Gisbergen cam do in his iconic No:88 Car for Trackhosue Racing.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. breaks silence on Shane van Gisbergen taking over the iconic No:88 Chevy for 2025

Shane van Gisbergen and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Via IMAGO)

The 2025 NASCAR Cup season will mark the full-time Cup debut of three times Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen with Trackhosue Racing. It’s a dream come true for the Kiwi racer who came into NASCAR with a statement win in the Inaugural Chicago Street Race in the 2023 season. Its also rewards his hard work in the Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing.

SVG has been decisive in the second division, with three road course race wins and consistent finishes in the oval races. Though Shane van Gisbergen still has a lot to learn in the Ovals, he is good enough to for the promotion and his fame helps as well. He will be driving Trackhouse’s third car, the No:88 Chevy which was made famous by Dale Earnhardt Jr.  

YouTube video

Junior via X shared his opinions on the No:88, which he used on his times with Hendrick Motorsports, coming back. He is excited to see the Kiwi racer in the car and believes it’s the right home for it.  Dale Jr. earlier admitted that he has been lucky to have multiple Iconic numbers in the series.

I was lucky to run a few numbers with so much rich history. Excited to see Shane van Gisbergen and Team Trackhouse Racing add a new chapter to it. 88 will have a good home there.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrote on X.

Justin Marks talked with Dale Earnhardt Jr. before making the announcement

One of the key features of Trackhosue is the fact that they now have three legendary car numbers. Before taking them up, Justin Marks seemed permission from the respective teams and drivers. The Trackhosue co-owner revealed that he was proud of his team after getting the permission to race the No:88 in 2025 from Junior.

Shane van Gisbergen and Trackhouse Racing owner, Justin Marks
Shane van Gisbergen and Trackhouse Racing owner, Justin Marks (Credits: Supercars)
(Had) a great, great exchange with Dale Jr. saying, like, ‘Look, it’s not my number. I mean, I added to the legacy of it. It was important to me personally.’ But he was proud to see it in good hands, and that’s just something that’s super, super important to me and this company.
Justin Marks said.

This gesture shows the wholesome team culture that Trackhosue Racing has, which has been one of their strong points since debut. It would be interesting to see if SVG can match Junior’s legacy in the No:88 car from 2025.

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