NASCAR Cup Series driver Shane van Gisbergen has revealed his simple celebration plan if he wins the Daytona 500 this Sunday.
The three-time Supercars champion will make his debut at the 'Great American Race' this Sunday. He won his first-ever Cup race in 2023 and is set to begin his rookie full-time NASCAR Cup Series season with Trackhouse Racing. Red Bull will sponsor five of his races at Las Vegas, Sonoma, Iowa, Daytona and Kansas.
During a recent interview with Fox 8, van Gisbergen was asked about one special thing he would do if he won the big race.
"Probably mix something nice in my Red Bull, " Shane van Gisbergen said (03:15).
Van Gisbergen, who qualified 30th on February 12, was involved in a last-lap crash which collected multiple drivers during Thursday night's second Dual race. He tried to make a pass near the end but hit Christopher Bell before crashing into the wall at Daytona International Speedway.
The wreck caused a big pile-up, including Anthony Alfredo, Cole Custer, Riley Herbst, Kyle Larson, BJ McLeod and Cody Ware. Van Gisbergen’s No. 88 Chevrolet got damaged and had to be towed away.
"I got a lot better last year" - Shane van Gisbergen on superspeedways
During the same interview, Shane van Gisbergen also talked about his first NASCAR Cup Series race at the Chicago Street Course in 2023. He started the race in third position and became the first New Zealand driver to win a race in the series.
"It was a really cool experience. And then what Justin and Trackhouse have put together for me now, and had like a learning year transition over here. And to be full-time in Cup this year, it's been a whirlwind, so pretty cool to be here," Van Gisbergen said (00:18 onwards).
Van Gisbergen made his Xfinity Series debut last year and won three races. He also raced part-time in the Cup Series and made 12 starts. When asked about racing on superspeedways, he shared his improvement after running Cup races last year at Daytona and Talladega.
"I got a lot better last year. You know, I did three Cup races in the Super Speedways, and the first one, everyone was kind of just shoving me out of the back, get out of here. Every time I got in the pack, I'd get put three or four wide, so they'd shuffle me to the back. And then at the end, you know, I kind of earned the respect, I guess, and, you know, people could trust me, push me, and I lived for a bit," van Gisbergen said (00:42).
The NASCAR Cup Series' season-opening race, the Daytona 500, is scheduled for February 16.
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