V8 star Shane van Gisbergen will take the biggest leap in his rallying career on Saturday, when he competes in a round of the New Zealand Rally Championship.
The Supercars champion has taken to gravel like a duck to water - evidenced in his win in the Far North Rally earlier this month.
And van Gisbergen has the full support of the country's top drivers, who are predicting him to be in contention at Rally Hawke's Bay, as he ramps up his preparations for September's Rally New Zealand.
"These rallies are all learning for that, so when I get there I can hopefully do half okay," van Gisbergen told Newshub.
In his brief rallying career to date, van Gisbergen has already turned plenty of heads, highlighted by his second-place finish in the opening round of the Australia Championship in April.
"Probably the hardest thing is, you've got someone with you the whole time, so learning that language of what the corners mean," he said.
He's proven a fast learner, beating home a number of top drivers to win the Far North Rally earlier this month, including former national champion Ben Hunt.
"You know he's a bloody awesome peddler in a rally car as well, so it was great fun at Paihia a few weeks ago," said Hunt. "Comparing times with him and having a great battle."
SVG also brings some extra hype to Rally Hawke's Bay.
"It's awesome. You see his Holden fans flocking to him for signature," Hunt added.
But don't count on van Gisbergen switching to gravel permanently.
"I'm a Supercars driver, I'm just doing this for fun - to learn to have a go," he insisted.
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