NASCAR: 3 possible landing spots for Shane van Gisbergen in 2024

Following his shocking victory at the Chicago Street Course last month, Shane van Gisbergen instantly became one of the hottest commodities in NASCAR silly season.

Shane van Gisbergen made NASCAR history by becoming the first driver since Johnny Rutherford in 1963 to win his Cup Series debut. He also did so in dominant fashion, despite the challenges of constantly changing wet and dry conditions at a brand-new street course in Chicago, Illinois.

Sure, those sorts of tracks and conditions are the New Zealander’s bread and butter, given his background compared to the competition. But he had never raced a Next Gen car before, nor had he ever experienced the unique style of Cup Series racing. His victory was a monumental achievement to say the least.

Known for his successes overseas in the Australian V8 Supercars Championship, van Gisbergen’s talent speaks for itself. The Kiwi has notched 80 wins, 174 podium finishes, and 48 pole positions to go along with three championships. He won a staggering 21 races in 2022 alone.

Understandably, rumors have been swirling throughout the Cup Series garage regarding van Gisbergen’s future, and not just for a part-time schedule. Teams clearly see him as a lot more than a typical “road course ringer” or “one hit wonder”.

While he is under contract with Triple Eight Race Engineering (Red Bull Ampol Racing) for 2024, the 34-year-old confirmed that he is looking to move to the United States to compete in America’s premier stock car racing series. He acknowledges the challenges he will face.

"“There’s a lot happening in the background. When I study it, Marcos [Ambrose] did three years before he went to Cup full-time. [Juan Pablo] Montoya was pretty much a full season as well. Nobody has ever gone into Cup. And I have no illusion that those ovals are going to be easy. It’s going to take a lot of time to learn. I don’t have a plan.”"

With that in mind, here are the three most likely landing spots for Shane van Gisbergen in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Shane van Gisbergen NASCAR landing spots: No. 1 – Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing is, by far, the most likely option for van Gisbergen, simply because it makes the most sense for both parties.

Justin Haley recently announced just a few weeks ago that he will leave Kaulig Racing at the end of the 2023 season to drive the Rick Ware Racing in 2024, meaning that the No. 31 Chevrolet is without a driver under contract for next year.

Matt Kaulig’s team would be an attractive one for the Kiwi, given their steady improvements with the Next Gen car and their positive trajectory during their short time in the Cup Series thus far.

Van Gisbergen could see this as a chance to hone his craft in the midfield as he gains experience. In the long term, he can look to grow the team into a powerhouse operation.

He would also have A.J. Allmendinger alongside him in the No. 16 Chevrolet. Having a fellow road course specialist who also has tons of oval racing experience as a teammate would be of great benefit for the New Zealander amid his transition.

The two-time Cup Series winner could use his experience to help van Gisbergen get the most out of his road racing skillset, since he possesses similar traits. He could help him fine tune those skills, rather than completely change his ways to acclimatize.

Plus, how ironic would it be for van Gisbergen to join Kaulig Racing as Haley’s replacement after outdueling him for the win in Chicago?