Van Gisbergen, who won the Chicago Street Race in his Cup Series debut last month, will compete in the Aug. 11 Truck Series race at IRP driving Niece Motorsports’ No. 41 Chevrolet.
IRP is a 0.686-mile asphalt short track, located in Clermont, Ind., just west of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Van Gisbergen is already scheduled to compete in the Aug. 13 Cup race on the IMS Road Course with Trackhouse Racing.
Van Gisbergen expressed that the upcoming weekend would be quite challenging. He acknowledged the competitiveness of the Trucks race, which he had observed on television, and recognized that he would need to acquire a significant amount of knowledge on the short track at IRP.
“I have experience with back-to-back races in Supercars, but this upcoming opportunity will be somewhat unique. I feel privileged to be a part of Niece Motorsports and extremely excited about the prospect of driving a truck.”
Race winner Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet Camaro
Photo by: David Rosenblum / NKP / Motorsport Images
Van Gisbergen achieved the distinction of being among six drivers born outside the country to win a Cup race, and he became the first driver since Johnny Rutherford in 1963 to win in his first appearance. Additionally, he made history as the inaugural New Zealander to secure a victory in a Cup race.
In addition to his three Supercars championships (2016, 2021 and 2022), van Gisbergen has 79 wins and 48 poles positions. He is also a two-time winner of the Bathurst 1000.
“I am thrilled and deeply honored to have Shane as our driver at IRP,” expressed Cody Efaw, General Manager of Niece Motorsports. “He has achieved legendary status in Australia and New Zealand, and his remarkable performance at Chicago has generated widespread admiration for his exceptional skills among the American audience.”
“We will assist him in gaining exposure to oval racing, and I anticipate that we will also gain valuable knowledge from him.”
Van Gisbergen has recently announced his intention to participate in NASCAR on a full-time basis starting from 2024.
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