Once in a while, there comes an athlete in every sport and just changes it forever. Tiger Woods did that to Golf, Michael Jordan did that to basketball. And when it comes to NASCAR’s road racing, Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks has the same name in mind as we all do: Shane van Gisbergen.

But none of this would’ve happened had it not been for the Chicago Street Race in 2023 that Marks saw and decided to act. The one where the NASCAR world was introduced to the road-course mastery of SVG, who won in his debut race, a first in 60 years since 1963.

Dirty Mo Media recently shared a clip from the Gluckcast podcast on X where The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck had a conversation with Justin Marks about a hypothetical scenario if there was no Project 91 or SVG wasn’t put in Project 91. Marks’ response was straightforward.

“I don't think we're a three-car team if that Chicago race doesn't happen,” Marks said.

After SVG won the Chicago race, he still had a year left to serve in Supercars in Australia. But after that, he said he would “love to come over” to NASCAR. And Marks heard it the loudest.

In fact, it’s not just the team situation that would’ve been different had SVG not come over. The WeatherTech and Red Bull sponsorships also wouldn’t have taken place.

“That was a seminal moment in the history of our company. That's when I went and actually started to put a plan in to expand to three teams,” Marks added.

Marks had started Project 91 for this very reason. He simply wanted to give world-class drivers from other racing disciplines a chance to compete in NASCAR. And he found the perfect candidate in Shane van Gisbergen.

“I think it has changed the narrative in the sport around road racing… You have these moments in sports where an athlete comes in and can change the sport. I think he's done that at the road courses.

“Sometimes when you recognize something special, you got to go for it. That's what we did with.”

Meanwhile, just like how SVG arrived in NASCAR, the Kiwi is vouching for another Supercars buddy of his to follow his footsteps.

SVG wants his Supercars teammate to join him

That driver is Broc Feeney, SVG's close friend and former Triple Eight Race Engineering teammate. Feeney was present at Sonoma last week and saw his former teammate complete a weekend sweep by winning both the O’Reilly and Cup races.

Speaking on the Dale Jr. Download a couple of days back, SVG revealed that Feeney had been hoping to race at Watkins Glen or Sonoma. “I think [Feeney] tried for Watkins [Glen] and Sonoma, he really wants to have a crack,” van Gisbergen said.

“I’m sure he’d be like me. Maybe he’d want to have a go on the ovals after, but it’d be really interesting to see how he’d go.”

Feeney is a 30-time Supercars race winner and had previously explored a NASCAR opportunity in 2025, although nothing materialized. Still, SVG remains convinced his fellow Australian has what it takes to succeed.

“He’s on the ovals all the time iRacing, watching all the ovals, texting me all the time. I think he would be really good,” SVG added.

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest!

Written by

Suyashdeep Sason

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason