Shane van Gisbergen Admits ‘NASCAR Is More Intense’ Than Australian Supercars

Shane van Gisbergen has emerged as one of the standout NASCAR drivers this season. The former V8 Supercars champion decided to make a switch to the stock car series last year in Xfinity before moving to the Cup Series. As the Kiwi driver continues to excel in the field, he has confessed that the Supercars championship never got as thrilling as NASCAR.

Recently, Gisbergen admitted that he hated driving the cars in the Australian championship, particularly in comparison to the Next-Gen NASCARs. The 36-year-old has felt at home in the American championship, with multiple victories to his name. He has even secured a spot in the Playoffs during his first season in the Cup Series.

Though, Shane van Gisbergen‘s journey in NASCAR began in 2023 during the Chicago Street Race. In a one-off outing, the V8 Supercars champion shocked the field to take a surprise victory. The Kiwi driver revealed that his plans changed drastically after that. While Gisbergen had planned to stick to the Australian championship, he was open to change. This is when Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks gave him the perfect proposal.

Things spiraled pretty quickly after Chicago.Like two months before Chicago, I came over, I had signed a deal to continue in Australia for one year at least. Then, I had such a good time. It was so refreshing.Things weren’t going that good in Australia, I guess, with the new car and stuff. I just was ready for a change. 

Shane van Gisbergen said on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast.

The 36-year-old was thrilled to get the option to race in Xfinity the following year before joining the Cup Series. He claimed that this was undoubtedly the best career decision he had made. Shane van Gisbergen asserted that the competition was a lot more intense in NASCAR compared to V8 Supercars, as every race presented a new challenge.

The way Justin [Marks] presented this project, you know, pretty much a year of learning and then jump into the Cup Series? I just, you know — I was at a perfect time in my career to try something different. It’s been the best thing I’ve ever done. It’s probably more intense, because it’s every single week and the challenge is so different every week.

Shane van Gisbergen explained.

Shane van Gisbergen reveals what he ‘hates’ in NASCAR

Since last year, Gisbergen has been making waves in the NASCAR field. The 36-year-old has divided opinions after securing a Playoff spot for this season as he won the inaugural Cup race in Mexico. Critics believe that the Kiwi driver can only perform at road courses or street tracks, and drops down when it comes to ovals.