A prestigious accolade in native New Zealand is the latest achievement of the growing list of achievements in the career of Shane van Gisbergen.
Three-time Supercars champion van Gisbergen was honoured at the annual MotorSport New Zealand awards night last weekend.
The governing body inducted the two-time Bathurst 1000 winner into New Zealand Motorsport’s prestigious Wall of Fame.
The Wall of Fame celebrates the highest achieving Kiwis in the sport and only a select few are given the honour since being established in 1994.
Van Gisbergen joins former rival Scott McLaughlin, who also joined the Wall of Fame after his third Supercars title on the eve of his first full-time IndyCar season.
The #97 Triple Eight Race Engineering star joins McLaughlin, Greg Murphy, Craig Baird, Paul Radisich and Jim Richards as the Supercars drivers to appear on the Wall of Fame.
Not only was van Gisbergen recognised for his special feats in a Supercar with 78 wins since his debut in 2007, but his diversity having competed at Rally New Zealand last year and has a NASCAR Cup Series debut lined up in July.
“New Zealand has such a proud and rich 75-plus year history in motorsport and Shane is one of the best the world has ever seen,” said MotorSport New Zealand president Wayne Christie.
“Shane’s immense talent seems to know no bounds. He’s immediately quick in everything he drives.
“I’m looking forward to him continuing to take on new challenges throughout the remainder of what is already an amazing career.”
The honour arrives after van Gisbergen’s first winless Supercars round of the year.
After collecting wins at Newcastle, Albert Park and Perth, the Kiwi fell short at Tasmania despite a Saturday podium.
His commitments at the Tasmania SuperSprint ensured van Gisbergen was not present to receive the Wall of Fame honour.
The weekend was characterised by a first-lap crash in Race 11 where car #97 speared into the wall on the exit of Turn 7 after contact with David Reynolds.
Van Gisbergen recovered and fell just short of a podium in the third and final race after performing the undercut and having another battle with Brodie Kostecki.
He said the P4 was only possible after a big effort by the team to get his Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 repaired.
“For how my car looked after the first race, to get it mechanically sound and safe to get a decent haul of points is unreal, so a huge thanks to the guys there,” van Gisbergen said.
“The crew also did an amazing pit stop again – we came in early and jumped a few people and hung on to the end, so that was great.
“You certainly have to look at those positives. Onto Darwin now, and I’m looking forward to revealing our pretty amazing indigenous liveries.”
For more of the latest motorsport news, pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION.
AUTO ACTION, Australia’s independent voice of motorsport
