Shane Van Gisbergen’s NASCAR Switch to Draw Massive Viewership Boost From Overseas, Thanks to Brilliant Media Masterstroke

As we enter the 2024 season, NASCAR is pulling out all the stops to bring in a wave of new international fans to the sport. From the inaugural Mexico Series race at the L.A Coliseum to Netflix’s NASCAR: Full Speed trending in Canada, it’s safe to say that the push to broaden NASCAR’s horizons is paying off.

Adding to this growth, Shane van Gisbergen delivered a stellar performance to win in his Cup Series debut at the inaugural Chicago Street Course race. This means a wave of Kiwi supporters have been eager to support the New Zealand born Supercars star as he embarks on his NASCAR journey. And the officials are ensuring that the fans aren’t left disappointed, revealing that Kiwis can catch up on all the live action for free!

NASCAR doubles down on incentives for international fans

Both the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series will be available for Kiwi fans to view on ThreeNow, the go-to motorsport streaming platform for New Zealand. The broadcast for the Xfinity Series will kick off on 18th February at the Daytona International Speedway. Fans can also view the Busch Light Clash on Monday, February 5th. With Shane van Gisbergen set to run a minimum of seven Cup Races too, the Kiwi fans are certainly in for a treat.

Reflecting on the delightful announcement, Shane van Gisbergen was quoted by Velocity News. He stated, “Awesome to hear the news that NASCAR will be shown on TV in NZ this year!” said van Gisbergen. “It’ll be a few early Sunday and Monday mornings for the Kiwi fans, but hopefully, I can do my best to make it worth it.” Certainly, with a full-time Xfinity Series campaign and the Cup Series appearance, there’s a lot that SVG’s success can do not just for his own future prospects but also to help the sport gain traction in New Zealand.

Speaking of helping the sport gain traction, the Senior Director of Content & BVOD at Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ, Juliet Peterson, also highlighted how ThreeNow would play a crucial role in helping the sport flourish. He added, “We know audiences are increasingly keen to watch sport live and free their way, whether they’re on the couch or at the office. Three has been New Zealand’s home of free motorsport for decades, and we are incredibly proud to bring this momentous season of NASCAR to ThreeNow and allow all Kiwis the chance to follow Shane van Gisbergen.”

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So with NASCAR and  its broadcasting partners pulling out all the stops to ensure Kiwis get to experience Van Gisbergen’s full-time debut in the Xfinity Series for Kaulig Racing and Trackhouse’s alliance, it’s safe to say there’s a lot of pressure on the young Kiwi to perform. With that said, however, SVG believes the challenge up ahead is just beginning to reveal its depth and also reiterated how recently retired Kevin Harvick has been a big help.

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Kevin Harvick prepares Shane van Gisbergen for the ‘tough’ road ahead

While his Xfinity Series opportunity is expected to be nothing short of a delightful experience once things get started for Van Gisbergen, the Kiwi is wasting no time preparing for the long road ahead. From adapting to the chilly climate of North Carolina to socialising with his new neighbours, Van Gisbergen has got it all covered when we talk about his off-track adjustments.

But moving on to the on-track preparations, it becomes fairly clear that training on the simulator hasn’t been enough in the Kiwi’s eyes. He was quoted by Autoweek, saying, “The SIM doesn’t prepare you for the negative G into the banking. That was a pretty cool feeling. I haven’t really done much pack stuff yet, so watching those races and studying it looks nuts. Not sure what it’s gonna be like in the middle of a pack. That kind of racing is probably the most far removed from anything I’ve ever done. I have no idea what I’m in for.”

Van Gisbergen also extended his gratitude toward Kevin Harvick for being the ideal mentor. But one specific advice may have given the Kiwi more of a cause for concern than celebration. SVG added, “He (Kevin Harvick) said just be prepared, ‘It’s going to be the biggest hits you’re ever going to take.’ That’s not a nice thing to hear, but it’s reality. I’m probably going to make some mistakes, crashing cars. It all looks tough. None of it looks easy.”

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So with the three-time Supercars champion already giving us glimpses of his skill behind the wheel on road courses, will the challenge of the oval’s banking prove to be tougher than expected? For Kiwi fans, there’s only one way to find out, and that’s by tuning in to ThreeNow once the series begins!