NASCAR star Shane van Gisbergen compares series to “driving a forklift”

Shane van Gisbergen has provided a rather unusual explanation for his dream start into racing life in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Van Gisbergen became the first driver in 60 years to win in his Cup Series debut when he took victory in the inaugural event at the Chicago Street Course in 2023.

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This impressive performance was backed up by confirmation as a more regular fixture in the motorsport series, as well as back-to-back victories in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in early 2024.

Van Gisbergen is a highly experienced racing driver, having won Supercars championships in 2016, 2021 and 2022, but he has now admitted that the jump to NASCAR has been a steep learning curve.

Van Gisbergen’s dream NASCAR debut

The New Zealander revealed some of his initial thoughts on the series, comparing it to a much slower mode of transport.

“Sometimes it feels like driving a forklift,” he told ESPN.

“I had the perfect opportunity to come to Chicago and be on a somewhat level playing field, since street courses are kind of my thing.

“America is huge and there are so many young, talented riders coming here. It’s hard for people to come here and make it, so I’m pretty lucky.”

“(I’ve) learned a lot of things, like how crazy the Xfinity car is to drive,” he continued. “The main thing is that the Cup car feels like a race car. It feels like any other car I’ve driven in the world, with the aerodynamics and the rear end. I guess it’s a huge evolution from a NASCAR to go this totally different way. Even on the oval track, it kind of feels like a normal car.”

“Whereas the Xfinity car is basically just for oval racing. It’s a type of car that’s been designed and developed over years, that NASCAR stock car type. The rear is really, really interesting the way it moves. I’ve never driven a car like that.”

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