Two of New Zealand’s finest exports, Shane van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin kicked off a unique motorsport adventure this week as they took on the opening rounds of the 2025 Cook Out Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway, racing in the Pro Legends class for Team SSR and Joe Ryan Race Cars.
Wet Start Delays SSR Debut
The highly anticipated on-track debut for the Kiwi duo with Team SSR was put on ice initially, as Round 1 on Tuesday (NZT) was washed out by heavy rain and lightning storms that swept through the North Carolina region.
Though racing was halted, both van Gisbergen and McLaughlin did get their first taste of US Legend Car action during Qualifying 1 – giving fans a brief glimpse of their adaptability in the tightly contested Pro Legends class.
Van Gisbergen, running under the Joe Ryan Racecars banner, showed promising pace with the 11th fastest time in a 24-car field, clocking a 17.408-second lap.
McLaughlin was just a tenth adrift in 20th place, posting a 17.544, showcasing how close the margins are in the pint-sized, high-revving cars that are a staple of American grassroots oval racing.
Both drivers are using the Shootout to sharpen their craft during breaks in their major racing schedules – Van Gisbergen in the NASCAR Cup Series and McLaughlin in IndyCar – and joined forces through Team SSR, a collaborative effort that reflects their growing friendship and off-track ventures.
Round 1:
When skies finally cleared on Wednesday morning (NZT), the remainder of Round 1 was run across three short-format races. McLaughlin wasted no time settling in, securing an impressive 3rd place finish in Race 1 – less than three seconds off winner Michael Crafton and just shy of a podium challenger ahead of him. His best lap was a 17.612.
Van Gisbergen, who set a faster best lap than McLaughlin (17.532), brought his #97 entry home in 5th, staying in the hunt despite tricky conditions and limited seat time in the unfamiliar car.
Race 2 was another short dash over five laps, with Van Gisbergen once again finishing 5th, just four seconds off the race winner Alex Reling. McLaughlin crossed the line 6th, not far behind his countryman in a race that also featured rising star Keelan Harvick.
A snippet of the two Kiwi teammates battling it out – https://www.instagram.com/reels/DKvUhQJzx_e
In Race 3, it was McLaughlin who led the Kiwi charge with an 8th place, while Van Gisbergen followed in 10th. However, the Supercars champion laid down a much quicker best lap of 17.440 compared to McLaughlin’s 17.594. Brandon Martinez won the race.
Round 2:
Round 2’s A-Feature – a 25-lap contest – offered a longer run for drivers to find a rhythm. Van Gisbergen made solid progress to finish 9th in a 26-car field, narrowly behind Jonathan Taylor and just 1.4 seconds adrift of race winner Jake Bollman.
McLaughlin rounded out the event in 14th, finding consistency with a best lap of 17.694.
Unfortunately, the remainder of Round 2 was again halted as the unpredictable Charlotte summer weather returned with a vengeance, bringing an early end to the program for a second consecutive night. A rain date for the postponed racing is yet to be confirmed.
Although both drivers were relatively new to Legend Cars and short-track ovals, they displayed immediate adaptability and racecraft. Each race offered key takeaways: Van Gisbergen showed strong single-lap speed across all sessions, while McLaughlin proved adept at gaining positions and managing traffic in the tight, high-intensity packs.
Looking Ahead:
While the full scale of their talent in the tight, aggressive world of Legend Car racing is yet to be fully unleashed, both van Gisbergen and McLaughlin impressed in their debuts. consistently running inside the top half of the field and learning fast in what is one of America’s most competitive grassroots oval series.
The 2025 Cook Out Summer Shootout continues next Wednesday (June 18 NZT) at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with Round 3 on the docket – weather permitting.
In the meantime, both Kiwis are back to their primary racing programs: McLaughlin jets off to Gateway Motorsports Park for the next round of the IndyCar Series, while Van Gisbergen travels south to Mexico for the NASCAR Cup Series road course event at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
All rounds of the 2025 Cook Out Summer Shootout are available to stream live via FloRacing for subscribers.
Header Image: Adrenalens Media
