Indy Car star discloses ‘pushing’ Shane van Gisbergen to race in America - “He’s got nothing left to prove there”

Shane van Gisbergen's joy over his recent victory in the Cup race on Chicago's streets was short-lived. The three-time Australian Supercars champion encountered a common NASCAR tradition: his fellow competitors began bumping into his car.

Van Gisbergen is returning to NASCAR action this weekend, participating in the Craftsman Truck Series race on Friday at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Later, he would be driving in Sunday's race on the road course of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

This weekend's events are a preview of his upcoming move to NASCAR next year, likely involving multiple racing series. According to NBC Sports, Shane Van Gisbergen said:

“I think it was Justin (Haley) who came along and revved his engine and was waving, and then people started hitting me in the back of the car, Kyle Busch sideswiped me. I figured out pretty quick what was happening. That was a pretty cool experience.

"It’s massive. It’s a lot of unknowns to come, the oval stuff. I haven’t done (an oval) race yet, just the learning of it. But I’ve done Supercars full-time since 2007 … so a good time to change, try something new. I’ve got a lot of good years left in me, I guess. Come and try something different."

To which McLaughlin responded:

"I really hope he comes to America, because I just think it’s so much bigger than over there. But what we’ve done in Australia is great, and we’ve ticked the boxes. And he’s ticked the boxes. And I think he’s got nothing left to prove there. Very similar to the position I was back in the day."

His impending arrival signifies that the last two champions of Supercars have both relocated internationally for racing purposes.

Scott McLaughlin, the victor of the Supercars championship from 2018 to 2020, is currently competing in the NTT IndyCar Series as a member of Team Penske.

Challenges that Shane Van Gisbergen might face in upcoming races

Van Gisbergen is faced with a considerable amount of preparation for Sunday's race. Among the adjustments he needs to make is understanding the extent of permissible contact during the race.

During a recent Supercars event in Sydney, Australia, he incurred a penalty for making contact with a fellow competitor on the final lap.

Although Shane van Gisbergen crossed the finish line in third place, the penalty pushed him down to seventh. This type of contact wouldn't have resulted in a penalty in a NASCAR race.

He openly admitted last month that, upon witnessing the intense racing at the Circuit of the Americas Cup event, he felt a sense of trepidation.

While the Chicago Street Race featured less of the aggressive racing seen at COTA, it's likely that the dynamics will shift this weekend.

Van Gisbergen also concedes that he doesn't hold the same advantage he had in Chicago. While he was new to Cup cars, he was accustomed to racing on street courses, a common occurrence in Supercars.

The Cup Series had never previously held a race on a street course until that event. The Truck race on Friday will offer Shane van Gisbergen a notably different experience due to his limited exposure to oval racing. He will be driving for Niece Motorsports in the playoff opener for the series.