Beyond Shane van Gisbergen: Five Other Foreign-Born Drivers Who Have Won in NASCARWhen Shane van Gisbergen stunned the motorsports world by winning the NASCAR Cup Series race on the streets of Chicago in 2023, he didn’t just make headlines for himself — he revived a conversation about the global reach of NASCAR. Known primarily as an American institution, NASCAR has historically been dominated by U.S.-born drivers. Yet, while rare, foreign-born drivers have found ways to break through the Southern oval stronghold and make victory lane their own.
Van Gisbergen, a New Zealander and accomplished Supercars champion, joined an exclusive club of non-American winners in NASCAR’s top series. But he isn’t alone. Let’s take a look at five other foreign-born drivers who have celebrated a NASCAR win — and left a mark that resonates far beyond their checkered flag moment.
1. Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia)
Juan Pablo Montoya is arguably the most famous modern example of a non-American driver succeeding in NASCAR. Before bringing his talents stateside, Montoya had already won in Formula One and the Indianapolis 500, proving he could adapt to any motorsport discipline. Montoya joined NASCAR full-time in 2007 with Chip Ganassi Racing. That same year, he scored his first Cup Series win at Sonoma Raceway, a road course where his open-wheel skills gave him an edge. Montoya added another win at Watkins Glen in 2010. While his NASCAR tenure didn’t match the highs of his F1 or IndyCar stardom, his victories broke stereotypes about what kind of driver could succeed in stock cars.
2. Marcos Ambrose (Australia)
An Australian V8 Supercars champion like van Gisbergen, Marcos Ambrose brought his road racing prowess to NASCAR in the late 2000s. Ambrose carved out a reputation as a road course specialist — an increasingly important niche in a sport that historically revolved around ovals. He won his first NASCAR Cup race at Watkins Glen in 2011, then backed it up with another victory at the same track in 2012. Ambrose’s fearless driving and easygoing personality made him a fan favorite and showed that Australian racers could thrive on America’s biggest stock car stage.
3. Mario Andretti (Italy)
No conversation about foreign-born NASCAR winners is complete without Mario Andretti, a true legend whose impact stretches across every form of motorsport imaginable. Born in Italy and immigrating to the United States as a teenager, Andretti embraced American racing culture but never forgot his roots. In 1967, he won the Daytona 500 driving for legendary owner Holman-Moody. It remains his only NASCAR win, but it’s one of the most famous triumphs in the sport’s history. Andretti’s Daytona victory stands as a symbol of NASCAR’s occasional embrace of global talent and a reminder of his status as one of racing’s true greats.
4. Earl Ross (Canada)
When Canadian driver Earl Ross won the Old Dominion 500 at Martinsville in 1974, he made history as the first — and still only — Canadian to win a race in the NASCAR Cup Series. Driving for legendary car owner Junior Johnson, Ross competed in NASCAR at a time when the sport was even more insular and regional than it is today. His Martinsville win proved that talent could cross borders, even in an era when stock car racing was almost exclusively an American affair. Ross’s victory remains an underappreciated milestone in NASCAR’s long, often inward-looking history.
5. Daniel Suárez (Mexico)
One of the most recent foreign-born winners before van Gisbergen, Daniel Suárez represents a new generation of NASCAR drivers. Born in Monterrey, Mexico, Suárez made waves by winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship in 2016, becoming the first non-American to claim a national series title. He then graduated to the Cup Series, where he found success with Trackhouse Racing, a team known for embracing international drivers like van Gisbergen and Kimi Räikkönen. In 2022, Suárez captured his first Cup Series win at Sonoma Raceway — fittingly, another road course. His victory energized NASCAR’s efforts to expand its reach in Latin America and inspired countless young Mexican racers.
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A Global Legacy, Still Growing
From Mario Andretti’s historic Daytona 500 win to Daniel Suárez’s barrier-breaking triumph at Sonoma, these five drivers — along with Shane van Gisbergen’s Chicago stunner — remind fans that NASCAR’s story isn’t written solely in the Southern drawls of its traditional fanbase.
While the sport’s identity is undeniably American, the presence of talented drivers from New Zealand, Colombia, Mexico, Canada, Australia, and beyond demonstrates that stock car racing’s appeal transcends borders. Each foreign-born winner brings their own style, background, and legion of fans to NASCAR’s grandstands and TV screens.
As NASCAR continues to add more road courses and expand its international footprint with exhibition races and global partnerships, the odds of seeing even more international winners only grow. And for every young driver watching Shane van Gisbergen celebrate on the Chicago streets, the message is clear: NASCAR might have deep American roots, but victory la
ne has no passport requirement.
