Kiwi star Shane van Gisbergen looking to return to New Zealand post-NASCAR season

After back-to-back seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series, former Australian supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen is looking for some speedway action in New Zealand. The Kiwi stock car racer will likely be competing in the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals series as well.

Before entering the world of NASCAR, the Auckland-based racer made a mark in the Supercars Championship, winning 81 races and three championship titles (2016, 2021 and 2022).

Gisbergen also took part in the GT racing series between 2014 and 2016. His breakthrough moment in NASCAR came in the 2023 Cup Series in the Grant Park 220 at the Chicago Street Course, where the #97 driver won the race.

Now, after making good progress in the 2024 Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing, Gisbergen is aiming to compete on his home soil after the season ends. The Kiwi driver revealed his intention to Greg Rust, a motorsport journalist, during the fan Q&A session of ‘Rusty’s Garage’ podcast.

"Both but yeah I plan to race Speedway New Zealand. I want to come back end of the year and hopefully race some sprint cars again" said Gisbergen (11:40 onwards)

Gisbergen also expressed interest in Midget car racing in the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals series next year. However, he mentioned it would not be easy for the Auckland-based Supercars champion to compete on dirt and gravel in the Chili Bowl.

"There's a possibility I'd do it I'd love to do it (Chili Bowl) but um it's not easy." added Gisbergen (11:51 onwards).

After back-to-back finishes outside the top-10s, Gisbergen will likely look to maximize his result at the upcoming race at Nashville Superspeedway on June 29.

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Shane van Gisbergen's 2024 Xfinity series season so far with Kaulig Racing

After getting a hang of the racecraft required in NASCAR, Kiwi Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen began the 2024 Xfinity Series season on a mixed note. The three-time NASCAR race winner had one top-five (Atlanta Motor Speedway) and one top-10 (Phoenix Raceway) finish in the first five races of the season.

Since then, Gisbergen finished in the middle order in the seven consecutive races. However, the breakthrough came at Portland International Raceway and Sonoma Raceway, where the #97 Kaulig Racing driver finished first after starting at second and pole position, respectively. But a Stage 2 spin and crash on the outside wall ended his day at Iowa Speedway, ending his chances of a hat-trick.

Gisbergen also suffered another mediocre result at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where the Auckland-based driver finished 18th. Standing 12th in driver's standings, Gisbergen had his top-scoring races at Sonoma Raceway (59 points), Portland International Raceway (46 points), Atlanta Motor Speedway (34 points) and Phoenix Raceway (31 points).