Van Gisbergen famously won on debut in 2023, which set the wheels in motion for the three-time Supercars champion to go full-time in the stock car series.
This year marks the Kiwi’s third start in the Cup Series at the Chicago Street Course where experience, he believes, will count for something.
Brown has not raced at Chicago and will have to get up to speed with a new team, making the switch from the #33 Richard Childress Racing entry to the #13 with Kaulig Racing.
“I actually spotted for him when he raced Sonoma last year, so I was trying to help him a bit, but this year, there’s no help because we’re competitors,’ said van Gisbergen on NASCAR’s Inside The Race.
“I know that Kaulig can put a really good car together, even though it’ll be a third car there. The car will still be capable of a great result.
“It’s going to be hard. It’s not everyone’s first time there any more, it’s only a short practice, so it’s going to be difficult for him.”
Brown has one start to his name in the Cup Series at Sonoma where he was third quickest in practice but befell electrical dramas in qualifying and the race.
Last year’s Supercars champion will get a 50-minute, all-in practice session before going straight into qualifying on Sunday (AEST).
Qualifying is split into two groups and drivers are ordered by metric score, based on a selection of data largely from the previous event.
It consists of the driver’s fastest lap time ranking (15 percent), the driver’s final race finish position (25 percent), the owner’s final race finish position (25 percent), and the owner points position (35 percent).
Brown and van Gisbergen will be in Group 1 while the top-ranked drivers will be in Group 2 and potentially stand to benefit from better track conditions – weather permitting.
“If he can get in the top 10 on speed in qualifying, that would be an excellent result,” said van Gisbergen.
“And then the racing, he’ll see what it’s all about. He’s a very good, capable driver. He could surprise a few people, but you just never know.
“This series is so competitive and everyone is so good. It ain’t going to be easy for him. He’s a quality driver, so he could spring a result.”
The two-day NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165 begins with practice at 3am (AEST) on Sunday followed by qualifying at 4am (AEST). Monday’s race, which takes in 75 laps begins at 4:25am (AEST).
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