Shane van Gisbergen ‘committed to Supercars’ for 2024

Shane van Gisbergen insists that he will continue to compete in Supercars next season despite suggestions that Triple Eight may be prepared to allow him to explore options in NASCAR following his stunning win in Chicago.

The reigning champion became the first driver in 60 years to win on his NASCAR debut with the Project91 entry run by Trackhouse Racing – leading to speculation about the long-term future of the New Zealander, who has also proven himself to be a front-running driver in GT machinery in recent years.

Although van Gisbergen is under contract to Triple Eight until the end of 2024, team boss Jamie Whincup had suggested that if a member of the team expressed a desire to ‘go to the other side of the world and do something else, then I’m not going to stand in their way’.

Speaking ahead of the Townsville Supercars event this weekend however, van Gisbergen said he had yet to speak to Whincup on his future plans but fully planned to honours his existing contract next year.

“My phone’s been running hot but I don’t have any proper offers yet, obviously,” he was quoted on the official Supercars site. “I really want to keep going and try some more stuff and, as I said, I’m committed to here next year but obviously I’ve read Jamie’s comments, which are interesting.

“I haven’t spoken to Jamie yet, though.”

Van Gisbergen did add however that the increasing number of non-oval events now being introduced to the NASCAR schedule made the series more appealing as a future option in his career.

“The oval is a completely different world,” he said. “I have no illusion that I’d go there and run up the front — that would take a long time.

“Obviously, you want to try, but having six to eight road courses in the coming years, that’s appealing.”