Shane Van Gisbergen - V8 Supercar Driver : TASSIE INTERLUDE BEFORE ITM400

TASSIE INTERLUDE BEFORE ITM400

With hype building for next month's final ITM 400 in Hamilton it's easy to forget that SP Tools-backed Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon driver Shane van Gisbergen has another V8 Supercar race before then - this weekend at the 2.4km Symmons Plains circuit in Tasmania.

The 22-year-old Kiwi heads to Australia's 'Apple Isle' on a high after winning the final race and finishing second overall at the non-championship V8 Supercar round at the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix meeting earlier this month.

He showed good form at the Tasmanian round last year too.

"We have a strong car and a great environment so I just need to drive my best and we’ll see what unfolds in Tasmania,” van Gisbergen said this week.

(However) "I don’t like to go into races with expectations because it just makes you so down when you don’t meet them. So if I go out there and have a good time then hopefully I’ll have a good race and be happy when I get out of the car. Standing on the podium would be great though.”

Last year, when the Tasmanian event was held in the latter part of theseason, the SP Tools-backed SBR driver qualified fourth and finished seventh in both races, dicing for second place with Craig Lowndes in the first one before locking a brake.

This weekend's format sees practice today and qualifying and the first 59-lap race of the weekend on Saturday. Sunday brings a second qualifying session in the morning and longer 89-lap race in the afternoon.