Kiwi petrolheads have waited for this moment for more than a year-and-a-half and with the return of Supercars stars, punters have been quick to get signatures.
They weren't just lining up for Kiwi drivers. Defending champion Brodie Kostecki is making his first appearance of the season, after a two-event hiatus, due to an alleged stoush with his team.
"I don't know, maybe it's the controversy around him," offered Kiwi star Andre Heimgartner. "Maybe everyone wants to know what's going on."
Kostecki reckons he has a longer line than the Kiwis.
"Ah well, he's obviously trying to get in my head, which he's not going to," insisted Kiwi hope Matt Payne.
"They're still all Kiwi fans, so they've been making sure that I finish behind them," said Kostecki. "We'll see how we go and make sure nothing happens on the track, because I reckon there'll be a herd of people coming after me."
Yes, there's no doubt who the 20,000 at Taupō are backing. If Friday's 90-minute practice session is anything to go by, those hopes lie squarely with Payne, who was just three-hundredths of a second off the pace set by Chaz Mostert.
"Yeah, P2 is not a bad way to start the weekend," he said. "I think we learnt a bit in that session."
Including just how challenging grip levels are, due to a mix of old and new surface at the Taupo track.
"I think you might see some carnage," said Payne. "You might see some mistakes, probably later in the stints."
With rain forecast for Saturday, it could be sink or swim in Taupō.
