The nomination comes off the back of a season in which he earned a shot at a career in NASCAR after a sensational Cup Series debut victory in Chicago then won the Bathurst 1000 for a third time.

However, with the eligibility window running from December 2022 to November 2023, van Gisbergen’s 2022 Supercars Championship crown was also considered by the judging panel.

The other finalists in the Sportsman of the Year category at the 61st Halberg Awards are All Black Ardie Savea, squash player Paul Coll, cyclist Aaron Gate, and golf pro, Ryan Fox.

“It’s great that the Halberg Foundation has once again recognised Shane’s extraordinary motorsport achievements,” said MotorSport New Zealand CEO Elton Goonan.

“New Zealand has such a depth of motorsport talent and a huge number of success stories at the pinnacle of the sport.

“Shane has an incredible ability behind the wheel, he is instantly competitive in the wide range of vehicles and motorsport disciplines.

“We’ve seen his success in Supercars, open wheelers at the New Zealand Grand Prix, the World Rally Championship and now NASCAR.

“He is very deserving of this finalist selection and I know the entire motorsport community in New Zealand, and abroad, will have their fingers crossed when the winner is announced.”

This is the second year in a row in which van Gisbergen has been a finalist for Sportsman of the Year, and sixth in a row for a motorsport figure in general.

The 34-year-old is also eligible for the Supreme Halberg Award.

Van Gisbergen moved to the United States last month to embark on his new career in NASCAR.

His 2024 programme is thus far comprised of 41 races, consisting of a full-time Xfinity Series campaign, seven Cup Series outings, and one in ARCA.

The winners of the 61st Halberg Awards will be announced at an awards evening on Wednesday, February 14, days before the Daytona NASCAR season-opener.

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