Motorsport: Kiwi Supercar drivers worry about roll of the dice that could de-rail their championship

Shane van Gisbergen leads Scott McLaughlin at Ipswich last weekend. Photo / Getty Images

The two Kiwi drivers fighting for the Supercars championship lead admit next weekend's round under lights in Sydney will be the roll of the dice both want to avoid given their lofty position.

Scott McLaughlin leads Shane van Gisbergen by 131 points with a big gap back to the chasing pack as the series moves to Sydney Motorsport Park and a 300km-long, single race under lights that could have massive championship ramifications.

Supercars have not raced under lights on Australian soil since 1997 and the initiative seems extremely risky for the two guys well out in front in the championship.

"It is risky but it is the same for everyone," McLaughlin told The Herald. "We have always been pretty quick around Eastern Creek so hopefully we can use that.

"At the end of the day what do you do? You can't change it.

"I was surprised when it came out and they said it was 300 points for effectively a bit of a wildcard race because no one knows what is going to happen.

"We just have to get on with it and see how we go."

For Van Gisbergen, the 2016 series champion, it could prove the moment he leapfrogs past McLaughlin into the championship lead or sees his chances of challenge take a massive hit.

"It is probably the biggest round of the year," the Red Bull Holden Racing driver said.

"It is probably the biggest wildcard in the championship. It is a 300km race worth 300 points and that is worth the same as what Bathurst is worth.

"It is really crazy that they have decided to that for that amount of points.

"They are trying to make it exciting night race, new thing, trying to get people out there so hopefully we get a good crowd and it is well attended and a good race because it is probably the biggest championship changer."

Van Gisbergen has plenty of experience racing in the dark thanks to his endurance drives in GT racing around the world. He also gauged the test of the lights at Sydney Motorsport Park earlier in the year and is confident the spectacle for fans should work.

"We have done the lights test – I did that a couple of months ago and it is well lit and should be pretty awesome but that race there is not normally that much passing so hopefully they give us some extra sets of tyres and open up the strategy so we can make the racing good.

"In night racing it is about the crowd, which is what they are doing it for.

"I have done racing in America where it is lit or in Europe where it is pitch black. Both are cool but in pitch black you can't see and it is no good for spectators.

"I think they have found a good balance in keeping it quite dark but being able to see on television and from the crowd."