“It’s happening at the US GP!”: Daniel Ricciardo is getting his NASCAR drive at next week’s race in Austin

"It's happening at the US GP!": Daniel Ricciardo is getting his NASCAR drive at next week's race in Austin

After winning his podium bet with Zak Brown, Daniel Ricciardo will finally drive one of Dale Earnhardt’s NASCAR cup cars at the United States Grand Prix. 

At the start of the season, Zak Brown, the CEO of McLaren, accepted a wager with his new driver Daniel Ricciardo over him, scoring a podium for the Woking-based team.

With former Renault team principal Cyril Abiteboul’s tattoo bet with Daniel kept in mind, Brown decided to play safe. He decided to offer something that would keep him away from needles.

Daniel Ricciardo is a big fan of Dale Earnhardt Sr., so Zak Brown promised his driver an outing in the NASCAR legend’s number 3 cup car if he scored a podium. The Earnhardt NASCAR car is a part of Zak Brown’s personal car collection.

Also read: “I was actually quite scared”– McLaren superstar Lando Norris shares his honest fears during Turkish Grand Prix

The Australian driver had a tough start to the season but found his groove when he led his team to a 1-2 finish in Monza. It was McLaren’s first win since Brazil in 2012 and their first 1-2 finish since Canada in 2010. Ricciardo scored a podium with McLaren. Now the question was, when was he going to get his prize?

Daniel Ricciardo will get what he was promised in Austin

It was unclear as to when this NASCAR test for the McLaren driver would be carried out. When asked about this after his win in Monza, Ricciardo said, “I think it will happen in the next couple months”.

“I don’t know if it might even happen in the States. We’ll see. I know the car is based in Europe at the moment. Maybe to go with the American theme, they might even send it over to Austin to do a few laps in Texas.”

As McLaren confirmed earlier on Twitter, it is indeed happening at the US Grand Prix in the coming weekend. No further plans as to when exactly it was going to happen were revealed.

Daniel Ricciardo will likely get his drive on the NASCAR legend’s car on the buildup to the US GP.

Post Edited By: Tanish Chachra
Daniel Ricciardo McLaren US Grand Prix Zak Brown

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Somin Bhattacharjee

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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