Shane van Gisbergen made history during the NASCAR Cup Series race at the Chicago Street Course when no one could have expected such an outcome. Gisbergen, 34, took the No. 91 car for Trackhouse Racing to victory lane in his NASCAR debut in one of the biggest races in recent memory.
The 34-year-old driver made it look easy as he passed both Justin Haley and Chase Elliott in the closing laps. NASCAR teams and drivers were very impressed. In fact, it was enough for some organizations to offer Gisbergen an opportunity on a full-time basis.
According to V8 Sleuth’s Connor O’Brien, Gisbergen has already received “multiple” offers from Cup Series organizations following his victory at the Chicago Street Course. It is not too surprising; however, which NASCAR teams would represent a great opportunity for the New Zealand-born driver to step away from Supercars?
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Shane van Gisbergen joins Kaulig Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series
Kaulig Racing has an open seat after Justin Haley was shockingly announced as a full-time driver for Rick Ware Racing starting in 2024. The NASCAR team is tasked with replacing Haley in the No. 31 car and Gisbergen would be a fantastic choice.
He currently competes in the Chevrolet camp so if this is his desired manufacturer, it would be a perfect match. Plus, Gisbergen would be paired with one of NASCAR’s most successful road course drivers if A.J. Allmendinger returned to the No. 16 car next season.
There could be better options available for Gisbergen but this would give him the possibility of making the NASCAR playoffs. It is hard to envision a scenario where he would leave Supercars for a full-time ride in NASCAR that would not be competitive.
This is why Kaulig Racing should be the floor. It doesn’t mean the organization is poor in performance but the other two NASCAR teams mentioned on this list have drivers in the playoffs. Still, Gisbergen would do well with Kaulig Racing, specifically on the road courses if the team is his destination.
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Trackhouse Racing buys third charter for Shane van Gisbergen in 2024
Trackhouse Racing would likely be the best possible outcome for the 34-year-old driver. As mentioned above, Gisbergen took the No. 91 car for Trackhouse Racing to victory lane at the Chicago Street Course and remains scheduled to pilot the entry again at the Indianapolis Road Course.
The only issue with this scenario is the charter market. For the NASCAR team to bring Gisbergen into the fold on a full-time basis, it would need to purchase a charter that is roughly $30 million at the moment. It would be a tough ask but would it be worth it overall?
Gisbergen has proven that he can win in Trackhouse Racing equipment which could give the organization a return on its investment in the long-term future. Sure, there would be short-term consequences of making such a pricy move but it would come with more success.
There will be plenty of debate about whether Trackhouse Racing should move to three teams in the future so why not make that time now? Gisbergen would join Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez while giving the organization one of the most popular driver lineups in the sport.
Related: Trackhouse Racing considers expanding to three cars in 2024 with a shocking top candidate
Shane van Gisbergen makes a shocking move to Stewart-Haas Racing
Stewart-Haas Racing is an out-of-the-box idea but one that makes sense for Gisbergen. The No. 10 car is likely going to be open as Aric Almirola remains “widely expected” to announce his retirement and step away from NASCAR on a full-time basis.
The organization is struggling with the financial aspect of business as the No. 4 car is open for sponsorship with Josh Berry after Busch Light decided to leave for Chastian at Trackhouse Racing. Plus, would Smithfield Foods leave if Almirola decides to step away?
Gisbergen would arguably be the most talented driver available for the No. 10 car as Stewart-Haas Racing is prioritizing talent over sponsorship, as seen by both Berry and Ryan Preece. Overall, it would be massive for the NASCAR team and Ford to steal the New Zealand-born driver from Chevrolet.
There are definitely offers on the table for Gisbergen and if these NASCAR teams want talent, he would be the answer. The historic victory at the Chicago Street Course was enough to prove that he can compete in the NASCAR Cup Series and why wouldn’t a team take a chance on his competitive spirit?