“He’s Going to Be Really Good” – SVG Backs Fellow Supercars Driver as Worry for NASCAR Drivers Increases

Published 08/10/2023, 6:25 PM EDT

With the 2023 Cup Series season progressing, excitement heightens for the Verizon 200 at The Brickyard. Hosted at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the 2.5-mile road course has attracted top talents for a thrilling showdown as NASCAR will witness star figures from outside the world of stock car racing take the seat in the Next Gen cars this weekend.

As the race approaches, all eyes are on Supercar drivers Shane van Gisbergen and Brodie Kostecki. The anticipation is palpable, particularly given SVG’s impressive Chicago street race triumph on his Cup debut. SVG joined Dale Earnhardt Jr and Mike Davis on the sets of The Dale Jr. Download recently and the trio delved into this topic.

SVG’s high praise for fellow driver Brodie Kostecki

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During the discussion, Shane van Gisbergen acknowledged the weight of expectations following a victory, making subsequent races challenging. With Brodie Kostecki currently leading the Supercars championship, SVG recognized his skill, saying, “Brodie’s ahead of me in the championship, so he’s a good driver. He’s gonna be expecting to be doing well.”

Comparing the upcoming track to the street circuit where he excelled due to his prior experience in comparison to the others, the Trackhouse Racing driver noted the challenge of racing on a track where others have more experience. He said, “This track’s going to be tough. The street circuit was perfect for me—no one knew it. I race street tracks a lot, whereas here, they’ve been here the last three years, I think. They’ve got a lot more information about it. It’s gonna be tough, and we only have 20 minutes of practice. It’s gonna be difficult.”

Despite the drivers getting just a 20-minute practice window, NASCAR veteran Dale Jr quickly reassured his guest, stating, “I think everybody said that if he comes back and races a track we know, the results will be somewhat different. Your practice will be super limited, everyone will have all kinds of experience, but I believe that in the race, you’ve got it all figured out.”

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Dale Earnhardt Jr fuels excitement with a bold analysis on the NASCAR Cup race in Indianapolis

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Amidst escalating anticipation for the upcoming Indy race, Dale Earnhardt Jr, acknowledging the buzz surrounding this unique event, delved deeper into the roster, spotlighting Kamui Kobayashi’s historic presence as the first Japanese driver piloting a Toyota at Indy. Reflecting on testing, Dale Jr emphasized Kobayashi’s remarkable performance and praised SVG’s triumphant street race in Chicago. While critiquing regular Cup Series drivers’ road course struggles, he extended optimism to newcomers, particularly Kobayashi and SVG, foreseeing their potential triumphs on the track.

“I wanna talk about the 3 drivers, top 5, who out of the 3… I think [Kamui] Kobayashi’s at the top, SVG, and then Brodie [Kostecki], and I’m saying that not just on talent.”

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As pre-race days unfold with drama and strong rhetoric, anticipation heightens about what the weekend holds. Will newcomers meet the hype or seasoned drivers assert their prowess? Either way, fans are in for a thrilling showdown, eager to witness the unfolding spectacle.

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Written by:

Rashi Shetty is a NASCAR author at EssentiallySports. Her passion for the sport extends beyond the thrill of on-track racing, as she finds the behind-the-scenes aspects of car development and sportsmanship equally captivating. Her favorite motorsports moment of 2023 is the NASCAR Garage 56 entry at Le Mans.

Edited by:

Nischal Kandpal

“He’s Going to Be Really Good” – SVG Backs Fellow Supercars Driver as Worry for NASCAR Drivers Increases

SVG’s high praise for fellow driver Brodie Kostecki

Dale Earnhardt Jr fuels excitement with a bold analysis on the NASCAR Cup race in Indianapolis

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