This year hasn't panned out the way Kiwi Richie Stanaway had hoped, but the opportunity to race in front of his home fans is set to put a tiny silver lining on a forgettable 2018.
The Ford driver entered his first year in a full-time supercars seat with high hopes of banging doors with fellow Kiwi flyers Scott McLaughlin and Shane Van Gisbergen at the head of the championship race.
But lack of car speed and Stanaway learning the ins and outs of the Australian circuits has resulted in shocking results that leave the Tauranga native in 25th in the standings with a best race finish of ninth in Winton.
That's slim pickings for the talented 24-year-old who has made a habit of winning during his career, including victories in GP2, GP3, World Endurance Championship and the 2017 Sandown 500 alongside Cam Waters.
Stanaway has grown increasingly frustrated with his poor results, driving for a team that is used to winning.
Tickford won back-to-back Bathurst 1000s in 2013/14 while lead driver Mark Winterbottom won the championship just three seasons ago.
Stanaway's teammate Chaz Mostert has been the only success story of the current season for the Ford team, finding pace late in the year, securing a top-five finish at Bathurst and Tickford's only race win of the year at the Gold Coast 600 last weekend.
The Kiwi told Newshub he admits 2018 has been humbling.
"This season has been a failure - It's been a massive disappointment for me," Stanaway said.
"As a rookie, you have to set your expectations low because recent history shows all of the rookies can struggle. I think I am definitely capable of a bit more than what I have achieved this year. Failure is feedback, so it's about taking the feedback from what this season has been and trying to improve significantly on that next year because there is a massive room for improvement for me and the team of guys around me.
"The good thing for our team is we have had one car really competitive in recent times. It's about trying to replicate Chaz Mostert's success."
But a first home race in a decade could just be the recipe for that sought-after success.
The teams head to Pukekohe next month for the penultimate round of the championship.
Stanaway hasn't raced at the iconic South Auckland track since 2008 as he pursued a career in Europe and America.
He always envisioned a return down-under and a spot in the supercars championship and despite his current predicament, his is excited to race at the track where his motorsport dream was born.
"I haven't raced there since 2008 - haven't raced on the new layout so it's a weird feeling for people to call it my home race after being away so long.
"It doesn't really feel like it's too much of a home race but it will be great having friends and family at the track.
"The sentimental aspect of it all is really cool.
"I went to the race as a 13-year-old looking up to Greg Murphy who was racing Supercars that is what inspired me to go racing.
"To have been on this journey for 10-15 years, it's been a long road from looking over the fence to actually being in the event, so I'm just looking forward to taking that all in and enjoying having to have made it to the championship I aspired to be in."
As for the all New Zealand championship battle, Stanaway isn't prepared to predict a winner but is actually relieved he isn't duelling it out with McLaughlin and Van Gosbergen.
"It's going to be a pretty exciting battle. They guys will be getting pretty sweaty palms when it comes down to the wire and I'm really looking forward to seeing how that all pans out.
"Hopefully that can be me in three or four years-time competing for a championship but for now I am enjoying being a rookie and not having that sort of pressure on me."
The ITM Auckland SuperSprint runs from November 2-4 at Pukekohe Raceway.
Newshub.
