Shane van Gisbergen reportedly received multiple full-time NASCAR Cup offers after the historic Chicago win

Shane van Gisbergen’s team principal Jamie Whincup hints at his move to NASCAR.

Shane van Gisbergen reportedly received multiple full-time NASCAR Cup offers after the historic Chicago win

Shane van Gisbergen (Credits: Chris Graythen, Getty Images)

Australian Supercars legend Shane van Gisbergen made his NASCAR debut in Chicago. However, that is not all. He won the inaugural Cup race on the Chicago Streets and made history by becoming the first New Zealander to win a race in the sport’s most prestigious series. Van Gisbergen also became the first driver to win their Cup debut since IndyCar driver Johnny Rutherford in 1963. Ever since his win, he has been celebrated by motorsports enthusiasts globally.

The talk of the town has been what’s next for the three-time Supercars champion, Shane van Gisbergen. There is speculation of his move to NASCAR as a full-time driver as early as next year, 2024. After his epic win with Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91 in Chicago, there is no doubt that many teams would want to recruit him. V8 Sleuth reported, “van Gisbergen received multiple full-time Cup Series offers on the back of his debut in Chicago.” 

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The 34-year-old is already a favorite for his upcoming second NASCAR race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 13th.  It remains to be seen how he would perform on the road course, and this second try might even be him testing the waters before moving to NASCAR as a full-time driver. Though van Gisbergen has a contract with his Supercars team Triple Eight for 2024, team principal Jamie Whincup revealed that he would support the Kiwi in whatever decision he makes. 

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Jamie Whincup is looking for a backup in case Shane van Gisbergen decides to switch to NASCAR

Shane van Gisbergen (Credits: Supercars)
Shane van Gisbergen (Credits: Supercars)

If Shane van Gisbergen were to leave his Supercars team, a spot would open up. Jamie Whincup gave a candid interview stating he could get behind the wheel. He stated, “I’d be stupid not to think that Shane might want to go early. He might come to me at some stage and go ‘Hey mate, I want to go out early’ so of course I’ve got to come up with a plan if that’s the case.” Whincup added, “I’m not sure what that’s going to look like but Fernando Alonso (41) is going pretty good at the moment so maybe I’ll throw my helmet back on again.”

Whincup revealed that though it is not the team’s first choice, he would be done as he is competitive. However, he believes there is a better option and would like to give a rookie a chance. These statements hint at Shane van Gisbergen leaving the team sooner or later. Whincup confirmed he has a contract with van Gisbergen for 2024, but it would be up to the Chicago winner to do what he wants.

Jamie Whincup said there will be more to the story in the coming weeks and that NASCAR and Indy will be good for van Gisbergen. The team supports its driver and is already looking for a backup. One cannot help but think if van Gisbergen’s move to the U.S. is a done deal. 

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