Shane Van Gisbergen’s busy 2024 racing season just got busier.
The New Zealander is already set to drive the full Xfinity Series season for Kaulig Racing under contract with Trackhouse Racing plus seven Cup Series events, but he’s going to have to drop all the way down to the ARCA Series before he can hit the high banks of Daytona.
Trackhouse Racing president Ty Norris told NASCAR Radio on Friday that Van Gisbergen needs to compete in the Arca 200 on February 17 in order to be approved to race in the Xfinity Series United Rentals 300 on the superspeedway later in the day.
“We’re in the process of getting [van Gisbergen] in the ARCA race for Daytona,†Norris said.
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“There’s a [pre-race practice] in January and the Xfinity Series has a pretty lengthy practice, so there’s a lot of opportunities to be observed,” Norris said, according to ARCARacing.com. “That’ll lead to an approval for Daytona and once he’s approved at Daytona, we’ll be able to go to any track on the circuit.â€
The three-time Australian Supercars champion won the Chicago Street Race this year in his first Cup Series entry and followed it up with a 10th place finish on the Indianapolis Road Course, but has yet to race on a superspeedway oval.
“It being our first race, I don’t really even know how to approach it or what to expect,†van Gisbergen told reporters Thursday evening during a teleconference, according to NASCAR.com.
“We get a little bit of practice so I can get a feel for the car and the cars around me, but it’s so far removed from everything I’ve ever done. Superspeedways are what I’m most anxious about, I guess, or unsure about what’s going to happen or how the car drives.â€
Van Gisbergen isn’t entered in any Cup Series races at Daytona, but his schedule does include two trips to Talladega Superspeedway.