Shane van Gisbergen looks forward to "learning off" AJ Allmendinger ahead of full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series debut

As he gears up for his Xfinity Series debut, Kiwi driver Shane van Gisbergen is aiming to learn from his teammate and NASCAR veteran AJ Allmendinger.

After his blistering NASCAR debut in Chicago last year, Shane van Gisbergen signed a multi-year deal with Cup Series outfit Trackhouse Racing. A three-time Australian Supercars champion, the 34-year-old has been put in Kaulig Racing's No. 97 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series on a full-time basis for the 2024 season, paving way for his smooth transition to NASCAR.

Upon joining Kaulig Racing for the soon-to-begin season, van Gisbergen has been paired alongside veteran driver and two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season winner, AJ Allmendinger. This presents an exciting prospect for van Gisbergen, who sees this partnership as a golden opportunity for growth.

Expressing his eagerness, the 34-year-old Kiwi driver stated during his Kaulig Racing team induction (via Speed Sport):

"Hopefully, he's open with it and open to giving me advice. He's a super-strong benchmark as a teammate, you know, to compare myself against but [also] to learn off. I'm excited."

He added:

"We're in some good equipment. Going up to Kaulig and meeting everyone there and seeing all the Chevys lined up, it was pretty impressive, so I'm excited to drive with them and learn off him, and try and push each other to the front."

After a fairly successful Cup Series season which saw him secure a famous win at the Charlotte Roval, it was announced that AJ Allmendinger will make his full-time Xfinity Series return in 2024.

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Shane van Gisbergen on teaming up with Josh Williams

Yet another new signing for Kaulig's Xfinity Series is former DGM Motorsports driver Josh Williams. Speaking about partnering with the 30-year-old, van Gisbergen said (via Speed Sport):

"I haven't met Josh yet, but I Googled him the other day and saw what his headline was for next year and what he did with one of the races."

The Kiwi driver added:

"He looks like an awesome character and, you know, brought a lot of real personality. So, he's someone I'll look forward to working with and meeting him and understanding his views on racing. Hopefully, we can help each other to be better and push the team towards the front."

Shane van Gisbergen is set to make his ARCA Series debut on the Daytona weekend before fulfilling his double shift on Saturday's Xfinity Series season-opener.