Shane van Gisbergen breaks down during Trackhouse – Sports News
As if Shane van Gisbergen weren’t endearing enough to NASCAR followers already along with his endlessly constructive, well mannered manner and proclivity for kicking an Aussie guidelines soccer into the gang after wins, the 36-year-old has proven his mushy aspect in a current announcement for Trackhouse Racing.
Following the conclusion of the 2025 Cup Series season, Shane’s first full-time marketing campaign in NASCAR’s high tier, it was introduced that he can be switching numbers for 2026.
For the primary time since shifting to the U.S., Shane will likely be representing the No. 97 subsequent season, a quantity he and his household have long been related to. Shane’s father, Robert, additionally has an intensive racing background in motocross and rally sequence, amongst others, repping the quantity 97 all through.
As such, it appeared solely applicable that Robert penned a letter to the Cup Series Rookie of the Year, revealing that he would have the ability to change from No. 88 to No. 97 from subsequent season. In a touching video for Trackhouse, a teary-eyed Shane sat studying the letter from his dad, which he had additionally learn aloud for followers to take pleasure in.
“Hi, mate. I hear you’re running 97, NASCAR Cup Series next year,” Robert stated. “It means so much to our family. Right from the beginning, both of us ran 97 in motocross. We both ran it in speedway. Mum would have been absolutely trapped.
“Over the years, 97 was the legacy in New Zealand and Australia in all forms of motorsport. So, so proud you’re running it in the USA. And also, even when you won national titles, where you’re obliged to run number one, you still carried on 97. So proud, mate.”
A clearly emotional Shane took a second to compose himself earlier than responding, “Yeah, that’s nice. The stuff he wrote about mum gets me, so, yeah.” Shane’s mother, Karen, sadly handed away in April 2024 on the age of 64. Following her death, Shane ran her maiden title, Wallace, on his No. 88 Chevrolet within the Cup Series.
“Blown away by it,” Shane went on so as to add. “To be able to represent my number in NASCAR and hopefully people know me as 97 now.”
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Shane ran with the No. 97 all through a lot of his exceptional Supercars Championship profession, successful three titles and 80 races earlier than first dipping his toes into the NASCAR waters in 2023. He received his maiden Cup Series outing on the Chicago road course earlier than later ending tenth on the Verizon 200 on the Brickyard, whereas additionally crossing the road in nineteenth in his first and solely Craftsman Truck Series race that season – the TSport 200.
After operating part-time within the Cup Series and full-time within the Xfinity Series in 2024 with Kaulig Racing, serving to speed up his adaptation to oval racing whereas additionally successful three street course races alongside the best way, he moved to Trackhouse and the Cup Series full-time in 2025.
Shane went on to set a new document for many wins by a rookie, taking the checkered flag in 5 of the season’s six street course races, reaching the Round of 12 within the Playoffs, and in the end signing a new multi-year deal with Trackhouse.
Next season, Shane will likely be partnered as soon as again by Ross Chastain, with Connor Zilisch set to take Daniel Suarez’s seat within the third Trackhouse constitution. What’s more, Shane and each his teammates will run part-time within the newly-renamed O’Reilly’s Auto Parts Series with JR Motorsports.
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