Silly season in NASCAR was turned up a notch this year with more open charters than usual ahead of the 2025 season.
Trackhouse Racing, which has run two cars full-time in the Cup Series, was expected to add a new driver next year after Stewart-Haas Racing ditched three of its four charters.
On Saturday, Trackhouse announced it would buy one of those three remaining charters – and it’ll fill it with one of the most popular drivers in NASCAR.
Shane Van Gisbergen tapped for full-time seat in 2025 NASCAR Cup Series
Shane Van Gisbergen, who has three wins in this year’s Xfinity Series, will race full-time in the Cup Series next season for Trackhouse Racing – which purchased a third charter for an undisclosed amount ahead of 2025.
The 35-year-old New Zealander cut his teeth in the Supercars Championship series, where he won three championships (2016, 2021, 2022) as a prolific road course racer.
He made his NASCAR debut for Trackhouse Racing last season, when he stunned the field by winning the inaugural Grant Park 220 in Chicago – the first driver in more than 60 years to win their first Cup Series race.
That win prompted Van Gisbergen to move to the United States and race full-time to the Xfinity Series, where he’s already won three races this season for Kaulig Racing – all on road or street courses.
He was the favorite to win this year’s Chicago Street Race in the Cup Series, too, and he won Stage 1 before a crash on a Lap 25 restart ended his day early.
SVG finished 10th in last year’s Indianapolis Road Course and 20th at the Circuit of Americas in March. His only two oval races in the Cup Series ended with a pair of 28th-place finishes.
SVG to carry torch for historic No. 88
Van Gisbergen will drive the No. 88 Chevrolet next season, joining new teammates Ross Chastain (No. 1) and Daniel Suarez (No. 99) in NASCAR’s top circuit.
It’ll mark the first time the legendary number will be in full-time use since 2020, a year before Alex Bowman switched to the No. 48. Before that, Dale Earnhardt Jr. donned the iconic number for a decade with Hendrick Motorsports, while Dale Jarrett enjoyed a decade of his own in the No. 88.
Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison, Rusty Wallace and Buddy Baker were among the others to represent one of NASCAR’s most famed numbers – which now belongs to the ultra-popular SVG.
Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks told reporters Saturday that SVG is a “superstar” driver whose immense popularity made it an “easy decision” to tap him for the third and final charter for next season.
As a result, Zane Smith – who was on loan to Spire Motorsports this season – won’t be returning to Trackhouse next season. The former Truck Series champion has two top-10 finishes this year, including a second-place finish at Nashville.