By Jeff Glucker
Shane van Gisbergen has made quite an impact in the NASCAR Cup Series since his debut in 2023. The Trackhouse Racing driver is the winningest non-American driver and the winningest Rookie. Before NASCAR, however, he was a Supercars Championship legend. I’m talking about a three-time champion with 176 podium finishes to his name. Shane has also won the Bathurst 1000 three times. His #97 has long been a winner, regardless of the form of motorsport in which SVG has run. And now, at long last, he will fly that familiar tag in the 2026 Cup car series.
Those two digits are more than just a number to Shane, however. In a recent video shared by the Trackhouse Racing team, SVG reads a letter from his father, describing what the number means to the family, to him, and just how proud his late mother would be of everything he has accomplished.
What seems like “just a number” to some can mean the world to others. Here’s to cheering on #97 in the 2026 season. Go get ’em, SVG.
[Twitter via Motorsport.com]