The three-time Supercars champion will depart the Aussie sequence on the finish of the present season as he appears to construct a brand new profession in NASCAR.
He has already made a profitable begin to inventory automotive racing with victory on the streets of Chicago, and can make a primary oval begin within the Truck Collection this Friday evening earlier than a second Cup Collection begin on Sunday.
Talking forward of these subsequent two outings, van Gisbergen opened up on the variations in racing tradition between NASCAR and Supercars.
He mentioned the Chicago weekend reminded him of how enjoyable and well-natured the US paddocks are, one thing he feels is missing in Supercars for the time being.
“After qualifying in Chicago, we have been speaking that evening,” he mentioned.
“Dad was there and stuff… and simply how enjoyable the occasion was, the environment, the automobiles within the paddock just below tents, accessible to everybody, you possibly can see everybody’s stuff. It’s an entire completely different world.
“I bear in mind doing the Rolex 24 a number of years in the past and also you simply neglect how a lot enjoyable the race tradition is in America. It is intense and the change flicks when it is time to go and get severe. However everybody’s right here racing for the proper causes and having fun with it.
“That is simply a lot enjoyable, and we’ve form of been lacking that a little bit bit in Australia currently.”
That van Gisbergen is considerably jaded with Supercars isn’t any nice shock, given he has come to blows with each the sequence and his personal workforce on a number of events this 12 months.
He has made little secret that he’s no fan of the brand new Gen3 automobiles, one thing that drew the ire of prime sequence officers on the season opener in Newcastle.
Van Gisbergen responded with a silent protest after profitable the Sunday race.
There was then some confusion over the announcement of a brand new take care of Triple Eight that was introduced as a multi-year association, earlier than he clarified that it really solely coated 2024.
There was extra rigidity with the workforce in Townsville not too long ago when van Gisbergen was ordered to let teammate Broc Feeney via late in Sunday’s race.
On the identical time, van Gisbergen did make it clear when confirming his intention to go away Supercars on the finish of this season that it wasn’t primarily based on any disharmony with the workforce, and that he was actively serving to discover a appropriate alternative.
Van Gisbergen did supply some reward to Supercars, reiterating his stance that the sequence breeds drivers aggressive sufficient to achieve NASCAR.
That comes as Brodie Kostecki readies himself for his NASCAR debut on the Indianapolis street course this weekend, whereas Tickford ace Cam Waters can also be eyeing a Stateside transfer.
“Brodie is one other one who’s been vocal about desirous to be in right here, and Cam Waters got here and watched a race a few months in the past, he desires to come back over and have a crack,” mentioned van Gisbergen.
“I feel he’d be excellent for it, and hopefully my lead to Chicago and the way we go this weekend retains opening doorways for us Kiwis and Aussies to come back over right here and have a crack.
“It’s an extended world away, it’s exhausting to look outdoors your bubble generally, however I feel there’s a spot right here for us – our sequence could be very aggressive so hopefully we will come and succeed right here.”
Extra reporting by Charles Bradley
