In 2025, Shane van Gisbergen will make his full-time Cup Series debut as a Trackhouse Racing driver. However, team boss Justin Marks is eager to see him compete in the biggest midget racing event in the world, the Chili Bowl Nationals, before that. SVG has some experience with midget cars in New Zealand. However, his Triple Eight Race Engineering team boss in Supercars did not allow him to run those races after he suffered a crash at Bay Park.
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That is why he isn’t as confident about racing midgets as he is about stock or sprint cars. The Kiwi revealed that he felt a lot more in control in sprint cars due to the cushion of the roof. In midgets, SVG felt much more on the edge and there was a bigger chance of him crashing out. His huge six-foot-plus frame and weight do not help him either. However, that will not dissuade him from debuting in the Chili Bowl Nationals if given the chance.
“It’s pretty hard for a big fella to drive those cars,” the Kiwi said. “There’s no rules in Chili Bowl either. You know, they’re all lightweight cars, lightweight drivers, so you’re at a huge disadvantage being over 60 kilos. They’re all little jockeys. So for anyone normal sized it’s hard to rock up and do that race.”
The Chili Bowl is a prestigious event that has been won by some of the biggest NASCAR Cup Series stars today. The likes of Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson have multiple wins in the event. SVG would love to join that list. The Kiwi is taking to American motorsports in the best way possible as he was reportedly seen at the recent CARS Tour race in Florence.
What are SVG’s plans in the off-season?
Before any sort of a deal is worked out for him to compete in the Chili Bowl nationals, SVG will go home. It has been several months since he’s been back and at the end of the season, that’s his priority. The current Xfinity Series driver revealed that he will keep himself active with some sprint car racing during this time.
“I’m planning to do some sprint car racing over the summer – race a bit at Western Springs and Bay Park,” the Kiwi said. “I’ll get to spend two or three weeks at home, which will be good. I’ve only been back once this year in March.”
Competing in the Chili Bowl Nationals or any American sprint car racing series would be tough but SVG is not one to back away from a challenge. After all, it did not take him long to be a race-winner in NASCAR.
