NASCAR 2026: Shane van Gisbergen issues verdict on stars making Supercars switch

NASCAR Cup Series star Shane van Gisbergen believes Austin Cindric's recent Supercars outing could put other drivers off trying the same in the future.

With the NASCAR Cup Series season having ended at Phoenix on November 2nd, most drivers have been enjoying a well-earned break after the grueling 36-race schedule.

Not Austin Cindric, though. Instead, the Team Penske star headed to Australia in late November to take part in the Supercars grand finale in Adelaide.

The Columbus, Ohio native swapped his No. 2 Team Penske Ford for the No. 5 at Tickford Racing for three races, finishing 23rd, 23rd and 21st out of 25 drivers in each of his three outings, one of which came in torrential Adelaide rain.

SVG on Cindric's Supercars efforts

Those results are certainly nothing to shout about, but van Gisbergen - who is a former three-time champion in Supercars - believes it is more down to the strength of talent in the Australian series, as opposed to Cindric's weakness.

Indeed, he says the Supercars driver would struggle just as much as Cindric if they came over and raced on an oval - something van Gisbergen himself has first-hand experience of.

“Well, he was last,” van Gisbergen said on the KTM Summer Grill, via Speedcafe. “Our guys are so good over there that’s the thing. People realise the level of Supercars is really high.

“Even the back markers are pretty decent drivers all through the junior categories. You don’t end up in Supercars because you’re average.

“It was going to be very difficult for him [Cindric], and especially at the end of the year when everyone’s tuned up. They’ve just done a few street circuits and a lot of time in the cars.

“I think it’d be very difficult for him to jump in there, and I think he did a solid job. The conditions look pretty difficult on Saturday. He did solid, but yeah, it’s always going to be tough jumping in a category like that and going hard.

“You put any one of the Supercar drivers in an oval, and they’ll be at the back as well. They’re two completely different disciplines I think.”

NASCAR drivers may fear Supercars switch

Continuing further, van Gisbergen touched upon Kyle Larson, who was rumored to have had the opportunity to race in Supercars at the season finale, but pulled out just as an agreement was set to be reached.

Van Gisbergen believes Larson has the talent to do it, but that Cindric's experience and struggles could create fear among NASCAR stars previously ready to make the move.

“It probably will scare people off. As I said, it’s a tough, tough category," SVG continued.

"Every time you see an outsider come in, it’s pretty difficult for them to do well.

“I think we should be proud of the level that that series is at.”