KEY POINTS:
Young Shane van Gisbergen enters the lion's den this weekend when he starts his first V8 Supercar race at Oran Park.
Compared to the Toyota Racing series, the rough and tumble of V8 Supercar racing is the colosseum of lion's dens, and it could seem that van Gisbergen is on a hiding to nothing in his first outing in Australasia's toughest motorsport series - 18, straight out of school and a Kiwi.
The 18-year-old MIT student has signed with Team Kiwi Racing for the rest of this year, and is contracted for next year's championships.
TKR are re-entering the championships after missing three rounds because of contract disputes with Ford Performance Racing and Paul Radisich, who has since left the team.
They return with a new car, new driver and new technical partnership with Stone Brothers Racing and are determined to prove they're back to their best.
It will be tough for the rookie starting his V8 career half way through the season, as some of the older drivers will not want to be shown up by the youngster if he proves to be as quick in the race as he has been in practice.
Van Gisbergen shot to prominence when he won the annual Speedsport scholarship and with it an all-expenses paid season in the Formula First class.
In his first season, 2004-05, he claimed four wins and seven poles, won rookie of the year and finished third overall.
The next year, aged 16, he won the series and was offered a drive in 2006-07 in the Toyota Racing Series. Despite an emphatic win at the last round of the TRS at Pukekohe, van Gisbergen finished the season second to Daniel Gaunt.
Team owner David John said TKR was returning to its roots and giving young New Zealand drivers the opportunity to step up to the main game in the V8 Supercar series.
In van Gisbergen TKR has a natural talent who is a proven winner.
"Shane has tested in a V8 Supercar on three previous occasions and has shown the ability to be fast and smooth at the same time," said John.
Van Gisbergen had his hardest workout in a V8 this week when he took part in a full day's testing at Queensland Raceway, doing 120 laps.
His lap times compared favourably with those of current series drivers Russell Ingall, James Courtney and Mark Winterbottom, who were also testing at the time.
Yesterday in practice he finished 15th fastest out of 32 in what John described as a sensational first-up performance.
"This is a dream come true for me," he said. "I know I still have a lot to learn both on and off the race track, but that is the challenge ahead for me and I look forward to repaying everyone who has shown faith in providing me with this opportunity.
"My plan for the weekend is to keep moving forward every session, learn the car, learn the track, build up a good relationship with team and not worry too much about track position and just do the best I can."
Said John: "It'll be a baptism of fire for Shane but we know that he is going to be around for the long haul."
Van Gisbergen has shown his commitment to the V8 Supercar series by giving up the option of being the A1GP rookie driver with A1 Team NZL to concentrate on the V8s.
