Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen will begin his preparation for Rally New Zealand when he competes at the Bay of Islands Far North Rally next weekend.
Van Gisbergen turned heads across the ditch in April with a second-place finish in the opening round of the Australian Championship.
His rapid rise on gravel has surprised few, with his father Robet a former rally driver. But he'll be looking to go one better than he did at Canberra.
Van Gisbergen will be driving the same Skoda Fabia R5 he competed in Australia with, but this time at the Far North Rally, which has quickly become a high profile event.
The rally will act as preparation for Van Gisbergen as he looks to spend more time behind the wheel of the Skoda before Rally New Zealand in September.
Fellow Kiwi Rally driver Hayden Paddon is confident Van Gisbergen will make his mark at the event.
"It's awesome for the sport. I know it's a childhood dream of Shane's to compete in," he said.
"He's a fast driver. Doesn't matter what you drive, if you give Shane a steering wheel and a couple of pedals he'll pedal it pretty well. I expect him to be up near the top end.
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