AutoAction
FREE DIGITAL MAGAZINE SIGN UP

Summer sprintcars for Van Gisbergen 

By Thomas Miles

Once his memorable maiden year racing NASCAR in America is over, Shane van Gisbergen will return to NZ to race a sprintcar.

Van Gisbergen, who is currently preparing for a maiden NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs push, will return to his homeland across the 2024/25 summer of speedway.

Despite having raced over 40 NASCAR races across the Cup and Xfinity Series in 2024, the Kiwi will do even more racing in his offseason.

Van Gisbergen has revealed he will jump back into a sprintcar in New Zealand with his first drive at Western Springs on Boxing Day.

“I have about 7 to 8 races in a sprintcar starting on Boxing Day in Western Springs. It will be all NZ based stuff,” he said.

“I got the blessing from the Trackhouse guys here to race over there which will be good.

“I will spend three to four weeks at home which will be awesome and relax a bit but still plenty amount of racing in a short space of time.”

Whilst SVG will be racing on the Kiwi dirt, he does not intend on doing the same in Australia.

For the first time sprintcars will be racing at the iconic Supercars finale, the VAILO Adelaide 500.

Van Gisbergen was asked if would be open to taking part in either a cameo Supercars return or 

Whilst he was open to a potential future Supercars return at the SA finale when there is no clash with NASCAR, the Trackhouse Racing driver ruled out an Adelaide sprintcar run with a flat “no.”

“For now I don’t want to do it but in a few years time possibly,” van Gisbergen replied when asked about a potential Supercars return at Adelaide.

“This year I could, but in three or four years time I could not just rock up on a December and race the Adelaide 500 – it is the hardest and last race of the season when everyone is sharp, racing for a championship.

“You can’t just jump into that race and run up the front. It will be very difficult with the top 15 guys especially very good.

“Bathurst is impossible at that time of year, maybe the Bathurst 12 hour one day but even now that is a bit close.”

This weekend NASCAR returns to Atlanta where van Gisbergen will race in both the Cup and Xfinity Series.

Photo by Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / LAT Images

READ THE LATEST ISSUE OF AUTO ACTION HERE

Don’t forget the print edition of Auto Action available via subscription here. For more of the latest motorsport news, subscribe to AUTO ACTION magazine.