Could there be a NASCAR Star to Master Aussie Street Circuits? Shane van Gisbergen not only introduced Supercars to a new audience but also extended a pattern when he shocked the NASCAR world with a victory at the Chicago Street Race in 2023. The links between NASCAR and the land Down Under can be traced back to 1988, when NASCAR hosted an event, the Goodyear 500. This event featured prominent names like Neil Bonnett, Bobby Allison, Michael Waltrip, Dave Marcis and Kyle Petty. And it seems like another young NASCAR talent is about the spark this connection by competing on the circuits where SVG once reigned supreme.

The next driver to take that route, but in the opposite direction, might be Jesse Love. Jesse Love is in talks to make a cameo appearance in Australia’s Dunlop Super2 Series, which is an important developmental category for upcoming Supercars talent. Image Racing boss, Terry Wyhoon, is eyeing plans to have Love race in the Super2 finale, and he has close ties to RCR thanks to Andrew Dickerson, who works for Kaulig Racing. As it turns out, the two had plans to have Kyle Busch run in the Supercars and Super2 divisions, but they couldn’t seal the deal. But now he’s turning his attention to Love.

Road racing is gaining traction in NASCAR, thanks to SVG. The Trackhouse Racing star has bagged a ticket to playoffs with his wins at Mexico and Chicago, and this shift has attracted Wyhoon’s attention in staging a crossover. “We started thinking about some other young talent who are pretty keen to do some road racing. It’s such a big thing now for them. If you win a road race you’re locked in [to the Playoffs].”

“If Jesse can make it happen with budget, I’d love to run him. He’s a ripper kid, and he drove the car in Texas when we were there in 2023,” the team owner said in an interview with Speedcafe. The car that Wyhoon mentions is the Holden Commodore VF V8 Supercar, which is based in the US and used by NASCAR drivers to train for road courses. The likes of AJ Allmendinger, Ty Dillon, and Daniel Dye were seen having test runs with this car at Virginia International Raceway.

Love is a seasoned superspeedway racer with both his wins coming at Daytona and Talladega, but a trip to Australia might boost his road racing skills. As soon as the news broke about this potential crossover, fans were all in for this experiment and encouraged the RCR driver to take up this opportunity.

A trip to Australia could be the new trend among the NASCAR drivers

Following the story’s release, the NASCAR subreddit erupted in informed enthusiasm rather than suspicion. Every response brought to light various facets of technical development, long-term worth, and the more general change in the way NASCAR drivers are assembling their toolkits. One fan keyed in on the developmental environment: “Really cool opportunity to hone your road course racing skills and talk to guys that do it for a living. I hope it happens.” This clearly illustrates how cooperative Supercars paddocks are. They are willing to share the resources and expertise with a foreign-based driver. This, in turn, helps the NASCAR driver to learn the craft of road racing and allows the Australian racing circuit to showcase its racing product.

Another user emphasized the strategic fit, “It’s the perfect series for NASCAR guys to get extra reps in similar cars besides TA and TA2, schedule permitting.” There are six road/street races in the NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 2025, and given the massive expansion drive, this number can increase further. Love is only going to benefit if he takes a trip to Australia and improves his road racing skills.

A third fan offered the technical kicker, “Come to Aussie, get a test day in, learn to right-foot brake (assuming he doesn’t already know), then spend a weekend banging doors on one of the best street circuits in the world.” That’s race craft awareness, not just fan excitement. The majority of NASCAR drivers brake with their left foot, which works well on ovals but is not the best for the late trail braking required on narrow street courses. Gaining proficiency in right-foot braking under race pressure is no small feat; it’s the kind of fine-grained ability that makes the difference between decent and exceptional on contemporary road layouts like the Charlotte Roval or COTA.

And then came the most forward-looking comment, “Then take that knowledge back to the US and be the next Zilisch on road courses.” Who knows, this might kick-start a new trend among the garage, and this fan feels that Love might be able to battle against Zilisch. The Trackhouse Racing driver is expected to race in the Cup Series, and Love is also touted to join outfits like Legacy Motor Club. So, this trip to Australia could spark a new rivalry. If it works out, this may represent a turning point in Jesse Love’s career rather than just an enjoyable diversion.