“It’s not the same”: Shane van Gisbergen shares his views on ‘180 different sport’ NASCAR following breakthrough season

Xfinity Series driver Shane van Gisbergen has had a diverse racing career, competing in the V8 Supercar Championship, GT Racing, and all three stock car racing series. With ample experience in various forms of motorsports, he recently elucidated how NASCAR stands apart from other racing series.

Gisbergen has a dominating record in the Supercar Championship Series, securing three titles in 2016, 2021 and 2022. He has amassed 81 wins in 508 starts, followed by 176 podium places and 48 pole positions. After his success in the Supercar Championship Series, he moved to the States to try his luck in stock car racing.

Shane van Gisbergen was recently featured in an interview with Quad Lock, and he opened up about his transition to stock car racing. He highlighted how NASCAR is different from all other racing series and stated:

"I drive race cars. That's all I ever wanted to be when I was twelve to fifteen, and then started racing. I just wanted to race supercars and now NASCAR. It's just such a different discipline. It's like 180 different sports; you know, you're still driving a race car, but it's not the same."

"No matter where you are in NASCAR on the track. You always seem to be racing someone, and I was having a blast. Just. That's why I knew just wanted to make it work and be in the Cup Series next year," he added.

Shane van Gisbergen debuted in the NASCAR Xfinity Series under Kaulig Racing in the 2024 season, securing three wins, ten top-ten, and three pole positions in 33 starts. He is set to compete full-time in the Cup Series in 2025.

Shane van Gisbergen will pilot the iconic #88 in the 2025 Cup Series season

After a successful debut in stock car racing, Kaulig Racing driver Shane van Gisbergen will move to the Cup Series in 2025 as a full-time driver. The New Zealand native is set to drive the iconic #88 Chevy for Trackhouse Racing.

The #88 number has a long history in stock car racing and is synonymous with several legendary drivers, including Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Dale Jarrett. Former NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Jarrett drove the #88 from 1996 to 2006. Then the number given to Dale Earnhardt Jr. while driving for Hendrick Motorsports from 2008 to 2017. Now the number is returning to the Cup Series after eight years in 2025 for Gisbergen.

The Kaulig Racing driver was recently featured in an interview with Speedcafe TV and expressed his feelings about continuing the legacy of the iconic number in the next season.

"It's pretty cool," Van Gisbergen said. "The other one who was before Dale Earnhardt Jr. was Dale Jarrett, so that's two pretty big drivers. Having Dale Earnhardt Jr. text me the day before we announced it about how cool it was and how he hopes we represent it well and stuff, nothing like a bit of pressure there, but pretty cool to have that. Obviously, would've loved to have raced with 97, but 88 is a special number."

Shane van Gisbergen raced as a part-time driver for Trackhouse Racing in the 2024 Cup Series season and finished as runner-up at Watkins Glen International. In the 2025 season, he will drive alongside Daniel Suarez and Ross Chastain.