NASCAR winner set to return for additional Cup race

After winning in his NASCAR Cup Series debut at the new Chicago Street Course, Shane van Gisbergen is set to return for the race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in August.

Three-time Australian Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen made his NASCAR Cup Series debut for Trackhouse Racing Team in their PROJECT91 entry back in early July at the brand-new Chicago Street Course.

In the first ever Cup Series street course race, van Gisbergen became the first driver to win in his series debut since Johnny Rutherford won at Daytona International Speedway back in February 1963.

PROJECT91 did not initially have any plans for the 2023 season beyond the Chicago street race, but that has since changed. The 34-year-old New Zealander is set to return for a second start behind the wheel of the No. 91 Chevrolet and make his Cup Series road course debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course next month.

The 82-lap Verizon 200 at The Brickyard at the 13-turn, 2.439-mile (3.925-kilometer) road course in Speedway, Indiana is scheduled to take place on Sunday, August 13.

PROJECT91 was introduced by the Marks and Pitbull-owned team during the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season.

The initiative was designed as a way to give internationally renowned race car drivers the opportunity to compete at NASCAR’s top level in select races.

The No. 91 Chevrolet made just one appearance in the 2022 season, with former Formula 1 world champion Kimi Raikkonen driving it at Watkins Glen International. Raikkonen returned for a second start back in March at Circuit of the Americas. Van Gisbergen’s Chicago win came in PROJECT91’s one and only appearance since then.

Van Gisbergen’s victory was the first for a No. 91 car since May 1953, when Tim Flock won for Ted Chester at Hickory Motor Speedway.

We can probably assume that van Gisbergen won’t enter the Indianapolis race as a +7500 longshot to win, like he was in Chicago before qualifying in an impressive third place.

Van Gisbergen is one of four international stars from outside of NASCAR currently slated to compete in this event, and he is one of three who are set to drive non-chartered cars, meaning that the entry list is slated to be a bit larger than usual.

Former Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button is set to wrap up a three-race slate with Rick Ware Racing behind the wheel of the No. 15 Ford while two-time World Endurance champion and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Kamui Kobayashi is set to make his Cup Series debut behind the wheel of the No. 67 Toyota for 23XI Racing.

Brodie Kostecki, a Supercars driver like van Gisbergen, is set to make his Cup Series debut behind the wheel of the No. 33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing.

The Verizon 200 at The Brickyard is scheduled to be broadcast live on NBC from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course starting at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 13. There are still three more races scheduled between now and then, so begin a free trial of FuboTV now and don’t miss any of the upcoming Cup Series action!