Scott McLaughlin believes his old nemesis and now best buddy, Shane van Gisbergen, can win on the streets of Chicago this weekend.
Speaking exclusively to AUTO ACTION in Charlotte, the three-time Supercar champion and now IndyCar driver says his fellow Kiwi has all the tools to take the race.
“It’s really cool. I’m really excited for him at this opportunity in NASCAR,” McLaughlin said from the Bristol Room at Team Penske.
“I think he’s going to kill it. Honestly, I think he’s going to turn a few heads. I think he could potentially win the race.
“I hope he just kills it because he’s one of the best drivers in the world, one of the best guys I’ve ever raced against, and to now call him a friend is really cool.”
Shane van Gisbergen cuts some laps at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in the PROJECT 91 Camaro in preparation for his NASCAR Chicago street race. Image: Shane van Gisbergen Facebook
McLaughlin added that he thinks van Gisbergen would be competitive in the NASCAR Cup Series if he made the move, but he doesn’t know where the reigning champ’s head is at with leaving Australia.
Scott McLaughlin says that his mate SVG can win in Chicago. Image. LAT Images
“Some people don’t like living away from home or being too far away, so I don’t know what he’d do. I could see him doing it [NASCAR] for a couple of years and then going home.
“I’m different because I’ve got my wife, Carly, and she’s from America. So that’s why I see the end game of being here. But I could also see the other side of him just coming over for a few years and then going back. Because there’s always that option for either of us.”
Shane van Gisbergen in his Trackhouse Racing gear at Charlotte. Image: Shane van Gisbergen Facebook
He said he will have a chat with van Gisbergen over dinner tomorrow night in Charlotte before they head to different parts of the US for their racing this weekend, van Gisbergen in Chicago and McLaughlin at Lexington in Ohio.
As part of a bigger interview for Auto Action’s print edition, McLaughlin said he is settled in Charlotte and can’t see himself ever leaving. He and Carly are now house owners, but he says it is way too early to think about life after racing with championships and the Indy 500 yet to win.
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