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Over the last couple of seasons, we’ve begun to see more and more crossovers from drivers in other motorsports series coming to try NASCAR. Specifically, we’ve seen a number of Supercars drivers from Australia coming over to the States and trying their hand at NASCAR, the likes of Shane van Gisbergen, Brodie Kostecki, Cam Waters, and Will Brown. We’ve also seen one of the biggest stars in NASCAR, Kyle Larson, compete in arguably the biggest race in the world, the Indianapolis 500. So it got us thinking: what are some other NASCAR crossovers we’d like to see?
This one would obviously be popular. The 35-year-old Aussie and eight-time Grand Prix winner in Formula 1 is a fan favorite in the U.S thanks to his charismatic charm and the popularity of Netflix’s Drive to Survive series in which Ricciardo has been a major focal point since the series premiered in 2018. Not to mention Ricciardo’s childhood hero was none other than The Intimidator, Dale Earnhardt. Ricciardo has said himself that his admiration of Earnhardt is the reason he drives the number 3 in F1. If Ricciardo were to come to NASCAR, even in a one-off appearance, he would bring a massive amount of hype and droves of loyal Ricciardo fans eyes focused on the top level of stock car racing.
Would Ricciardo be competitive in the Cup Series? It’s hard to say, as the discipline is as different as you could imagine from what he is used to in F1. You could look to F1 champ Kimi Raikkonen’s two Cup Series appearances for some sort of benchmark for Ricciardo to hit in his debut. Regardless of how he were to perform, it’s hard to deny Ricciardo in NASCAR would be instant fireworks.
Like fellow Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen, McLaughlin is a three-time Supercars champion and now competes for Team Penske in the NTT IndyCar Series. Scotty Mac, as many call him, has been stateside competing in the United States’ top open-wheel series since 2020, and has already collected 6 wins in that span in a series that couldn’t be more different than what he came from in Supercars. With that kind of success in such a different form of motorsport combined with the similarities between the cars in Supercars and the NASCAR Cup Series, one would think that McLaughlin would have a great shot at competing in a Cup race.
You could also see it happening without much needing to fall into place. McLaughlin already drives for Roger Penske, who just so happens to own a very competitive NASCAR team and has the ability to field a fourth car without violating the current four-car per-team rule set in place by NASCAR. Not to mention, McLaughlin himself has proclaimed that he would love to be one of the first to attempt “The Double” (Indy 500/Coke 600 in the same day) from the IndyCar side, similar to what Kyle Larson attempted back in May. There’s no denying that Scotty Mac would put on a show behind the wheel of a fourth Penske Ford, especially on a road course.
Newgarden, a two-time Indy 500 winner and Team Penske driver, would be another match made in heaven for a NASCAR crossover. The American has publicly stated that he would love to attempt “The Double”, and seeing as there is a NASCAR connection with Team Penske similar to McLaughlin, it could possibly happen someday. Would Newgarden compete against the best in NASCAR? It’s hard to say, but the talent is definitely there. We’d love to see this.
Who wouldn’t want to see this? I mean, really, who wouldn’t? Arguably (more like probably) the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time, Hamilton is tied for the most World Drivers Championships all-time at seven, tied with Michael Schumacher, and currently holds F1 records in wins (105), poles (104), and podium finishes (201). He is the most decorated motorsport champion of all time, and believe it or not, has ties to NASCAR in the past. In 2011, he participated in a seat swap with three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart at Watkins Glen, where he turned laps in the bulky stock car and admitted he “felt like a kid”.
Hamilton has also more recently expressed interest in trying his hand at NASCAR someday, mentioning it during the F1 weekend in Miami in 2023, saying that he’d love to try it at some stage. That kind of statement from such a legend in motorsport is sure to get NASCAR fan’s attention. It likely won’t happen for quite some time, as Hamilton’s F1 career doesn’t appear to be ending anytime soon as he searches for an elusive eighth world championship, but maybe someday we’ll see Sir Lewis in a Cup Series car.
We’ve already seen what Larson can do in an IndyCar, putting up a strong performance in the Indy 500, and we all know how talented the 2021 Cup Series champion is on dirt in just about any type of car. But what about Formula 1? It’s a far-fetched idea due to the exclusiveness of the series, with only 20 seats available. But it is hard to deny the fact that with as talented as Larson is, could he compete in such a high-profile series? Most NASCAR and North American racing fans believe Larson can win in just about anything, and that he may be the most talented racer in the world. What better place to put that to the test than F1, home to what many believe are the best racers in the world? It’s unlikely to ever happen, but we sure can dream!
This is another pipe dream, as Verstappen himself has mentioned he has no interest in oval racing. But that doesn’t mean the three-time F1 World Drivers Champion couldn’t get behind the wheel of a stock car at a road course. Verstappen has dabbled in stock car racing virtually via iRacing, specifically Trucks, and the argument could be made that the Dutchman is the best racer in the world. Many wonder if the dominance of Verstappen’s Red Bull has carried him to his success in F1, but it is impossible to deny his talent. Verstappen has publicly stated that he has other interests outside of F1, so maybe someday we will see him taking to the streets of Chicago, or flying around Watkins Glen with the best NASCAR has to offer.
Who else would you like to see in NASCAR? Is there anyone major that we missed? Let us know your thoughts and connect with us on our socials at The Daily Downforce, and stick with us for the latest NASCAR news all year long!
