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Trackhouse Racing has answered an important question. The NASCAR Cup Series organization has revealed the identity of its next Project91 driver.
According to an announcement on May 18, three-time Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen will join Trackhouse Racing on July 2 for the Chicago Street Race. He will drive the No. 91 Chevrolet Camaro while making his debut in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Van Gisbergen is no stranger to success. He has registered 78 wins in the Supercars Championship and he has captured the title on three different occasions — 2016, 2021, 2022. Now, he will take on another form of racing while competing in the heart of Chicago.
“I can honestly say I have dreamed about an opportunity in NASCAR, but really never thought it would become a reality,” said van Gisbergen in a press release. “I can’t wait to get to the States to meet everyone and prepare for Chicago.
“It’s NASCAR’s first time on the streets of Chicago so in some ways everyone will be a rookie like me, but I don’t underestimate that it’s going to be a huge challenge.”
Van Gisbergen will not be the only championship-winning driver trying to compete in the Chicago Street Race as an open entry. Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will also take part in the historic event while driving the No. 84 Chevrolet Camaro for Legacy Motor Club.
Van Gisbergen Has Experience in a Chevrolet Camaro
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GettyShane van Gisbergen celebrates a win at Wanneroo Raceway.
The New Zealand native has never competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, nor has he controlled a Next Gen car. However, he does have some familiarity that will make the learning curve smaller.
Van Gisbergen has made 489 starts in the Supercars Championship while driving a variety of vehicles. He has controlled a Ford Falcon and a Holden Commodore. He also switched to a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the 2023 season.
According to the stats at The Third Turn, van Gisbergen has driven his Red Bull-sponsored Chevrolet Camaro to the win on three different occasions. He won at the Newcastle Street Circuit and Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in March. He then added another win at Wanneroo Raceway.
“We have been very pleased with the fan reaction to Kimi’s participation the last two seasons,” team owner Justin Marks added in the press release.
“I’ll concede the American racing fan might not be as familiar with Shane as they are with Kimi but if you talk with anyone in Australia, New Zealand, and that part of the world they will tell you he is one of the most talented drivers on the planet. He’s used to street racing in heavy cars and I think everyone will be very impressed with his performance.”
The Chevrolet Camaro is a newer addition to the Supercars Championship grid. It joined in 2022 as part of the Gen3 rule package, and it replaced the Commodore after GM shut down Holden’s operations.
The Chevrolet Camaro in the Supercars Championship runs a 5.7-liter pushrod engine while the Ford Mustang runs a 5.4-liter engine. Both cars are lower to the ground, and they are closer in style to their counterparts in showrooms around the country. This is similar to the Cup Series cars, which are built to be closer to the street-legal cars in the United States.
Marks Teased This Partnership Back in March
GettyShane van Gisbergen competes at Wanneroo Raceway.
There have been questions about the identity of the next Project91 driver since March 29. This is the day that Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks appeared on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and said that the deal was done and that the No. 91 Chevrolet Camaro would have someone other than Kimi Raikkonen behind the wheel.
Marks didn’t provide many details during his appearance. He said that the company had locked down a great sponsor and that they were mobilizing how they were going to make an exciting announcement.
“It’s gonna be somebody that has got very, very different experience from NASCAR but in some ways is actually perfectly suited for a Cup race,” Marks said.
“This is somebody that’s not raced in America very much at all but, I think, is going to go to this particular race and be able to make some real noise.”
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