CONCORD, N.C. — Trackhouse Racing is committing to developing a driver who has proved he can win at NASCAR's highest level.
Shane van Gisbergen signed a developmental program deal with Trackhouse Racing for the 2024 season, the team announced on Wednesday. The New Zealand native will compete in select races in the NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, and Craftsman Truck Series next season, as well as some late-model races.
Van Gisbergen shockingly won the inaugural Chicago Street Course race in July in his NASCAR Cup Series debut. Ever since his triumph, van Gisbergen has set his sights on returning to the NASCAR scene.
"It is time for a new challenge and this adventure into NASCAR will be the biggest challenge of my career and one I’m really looking forward to," van Gisbergen said in a release. "I want to thank Justin Marks and everyone at Trackhouse Racing who have taken a chance on me and given me this opportunity. I’m excited to get to America and getting the season started.”.
Aside from NASCAR, van Gisbergen is a legend in the Australian Supercars Championship. He has won three championships and 76 races in the series, placing him fourth on the all-time series win list.
Van Gisbergen followed up his win at Chicago with a 10th-place finish at the Indianapolis Road Course in August. He made his oval racing debut at Indianapolis Raceway Park in the Craftsman Truck Series on that same weekend, finishing 18th.
With his win at Chicago, van Gisbergen is just the sixth foreign-born driver to win in the NASCAR Cup Series. One of those six is Daniel Suárez, a Mexico native who drives the No. 99 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing.
“This is going to be a tremendous challenge for Shane but he is a tremendous driver as we have all seen,” said Marks, the team's owner. “Next year will be about getting him acclimated to oval track racing, superspeedways, 1.5-mile tracks, and everything he has never experienced in his career."