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Red Bull Refuse to Let Go of Shane Van Gisbergen Despite the Kiwi’s Supercars Abandonment

Published 02/25/2024, 12:27 PM EST

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Certain relationships transcend beyond their formal tag. Temporal and spatial differences cease to be an obstacle when it comes to the test of time. Such is the case with Shane Van Gisbergen and his former Red Bull team. It’s been months now since the Kiwi Supercar champion has turned a chapter in his life and has found a new home in the world of stock car racing, leaving behind his Supercars world behind. However, his ties with his Supercars Red Bull Team have hardly undergone any alteration.

Shane Van Gisbergen, after his dismal Daytona debut both in the ARCA and the Xfinity Series, had geared up for the second race of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway. With adrenaline running high, it was not just the rookie driver who looked forward to his second race, but also his former Supercars team down South to cheer for their former teammate, which was evident from a picture posted on Twitter.

Shane Van Gisbergen’s former team cheers for their former champion driver

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Amidst their busy schedule and difference in time zone, SVG’s former crew members were seen watching the Xfinity race with their eyes glued on their mobile phones. A photo posted by the Red Bull Ampol Racing team showed how the crew members were engrossed in watching their former driver perform on the track while taking care of their own racing schedule. The photo also was tagged with the caption, “Always supporting @shanevg97, even when we’re racing! “

Words fall short of elucidating the racing prowess of Shane Van Gisbergen. With 3x V8 Supercars championship and a former Bathurst victor, the Kiwi driver has been an indomitable force in the world of Supercars. Nevertheless, it was not just the world of Supercars that bore witness to the driver’s racing prowess, but also NASCAR. It was not long before SVG found his calling in the world of NASCAR after claiming a victory in the inaugural Chicago Street race. The driver had also enthralled the stock car racing prowess and his use of foot for braking.

Nevertheless, in his rookie year as a full-time NASCAR driver, Van Gisbergen is gradually unleashing his racing prowess. This was evident from his race from his run in both Daytona and at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Although being mired in seven different wrecks, the Kaulig Racing driver had put up a brave fight amidst the regulars of the sport. The same can be asserted for his performance in Atlanta. And it was not just the NASCAR community that had their eyes on the rookie driver but also his former Supercars team, Red Bull Ampol Racing team. 

A stoked SVG shares his elation after his favorable performance in Atlanta

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It seems that SVG was able to stand up to his former crew’s expectations, as he snatched a podium finish in his second-career Xfinity Series race. Although suffering a fender damage and pit twice both in Stage 2 and 3, the Kaulig Racing driver finished third in the race.

Read More: Jesse Love Spills His Hopes for His Rookie Xfinity Season After Notching Back to Back Poles

Speaking to the media in the post-race interview, Van Gisbergen expressed his thoughts on his performance, “Pretty awesome. Great job by Bruce (Schlicker, crew chief) on the box there to pit us (before overtime). I had so much fun. Just learning about it and running in the pack.Yeah, to be P3 in the second race is pretty awesome. I’m stoked.”

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“It’s just good to get a result and have a clean car, especially after last week when I got involved in so much stuff. So, to have a clean race, not make too many mistakes, and complete every lap, we learned a lot.”

With that being said, it will be interesting to see what the remaining season has in store for the Kiwi driver. Whether the driver be able to notch a victory in his rookie will be a unique spectacle to witness.

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Written by:

Ayantika Maitra

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Ayantika Maitra is a NASCAR Content Analyst at EssentiallySports. Using her affinity for research and storytelling, this English major has also woven some attention-grabbing pieces that have brought the women in NASCAR into the limelight. An expert in identifying trends and understanding audience behavior, she loves taking part in core sport reporting.
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Edited by:

Rohan Karnad