Kiwi driver Shane van Gisbergen has claimed a top-10 finish in his second start in the US-based NASCAR racing series - then confirmed it won't be his last.
The reigning Supercars champion backed up his remarkable debut win at Chicago by finishing 10th for his Trackhouse Racing Team at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"I was under no illusion that I was going to come here and do what I'd done in Chicago," van Gisbergen told NBC Sports. "I knew it was going to be tough, so I'm stoked with a top 10."
The race was dominated by Michael McDowell, with Chase Elliott and polesitter Daniel Suarez finishing second and third respectively.
Van Gisbergen qualified eighth on the grid, but couldn't infiltrate the leading pack in the 82-lap contest, noting the marked increase in aggression from his competitors at the iconic 'Brickyard', compared to his maiden race, where he became the first debutant to win a NASCAR race since 1963.
"It's tough here, because everyone's on it," van Gisbergen added. "Everyone knows the track and there's a lot more room for error, so everyone's racing aggressively.
"I got pushed out of the way by Alex Bowman, but I blocked him and then he pushed me straight away. Hey, learned pretty quickly not to block that early.
"It's all part of it. I was enjoying it the whole time."
The Aucklander also had the opportunity to try his hand in the NASCAR trucks, finishing 17th behind the wheel of TSport 200.
"I've had a smile on my race all weekend," he said. "The truck race was fun... just constantly learning, and getting better and better all week.
"I'm like a sponge at the moment - trying to take in all of the information and get better every day."
After making no secret of his desire to join NASCAR on a fulltime basis, the three-time Supercars champion has reiterated those intentions, confirming he's still negotiating in both Australia and the US over a permanent shift stateside.
Van Gisbergen's contract with the Triple Eight team ends in 2025, but they've indicated they wouldn't stand in his way, if he were to pursue a move to NASCAR next year.
Will Brown, who currently races for Erebus Motorsport, has reportedly been granted an early release from his contract, sparking widespread speculation he'll step in as van Gisbergen's replacement.
"We're closer, but I haven't closed anything out," he said of his NASCAR deal. "I really have to sort Australia first, but that's looking promising, and then coming up with something here [in the US].
"Hopefully, I'll move over soon."
For the time being, van Gisbergen, 34, will turn his attention back to Supercars. where he currently sits third in the championship, just 54 points behind leader Brodie Kostecki, who finished 22nd in his NASCAR debut at Indianapolis.
Van Gisbergen won his last outing at the Sydney Supernight event and will return to Australia for the next round at Tailem Bend, South Australia this week.
