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Supplied
Shane van Gisbergen will race at the Daybreaker Rally in September. (File photo)
V8 Supercar champion Shane van Gisbergen has confirmed his entry into the Daybreaker Rally.
The Daybreaker Rally is a 150km competition across roads in the Manawatu and Rangitikei districts on Friday, September 22 and Saturday, September 23. It is part of the New Zealand Rally Championship (NZRC).
Van Gisbergen said he will use the same Audi S1 AP4 car he drove at the International Rally of Whangarei in May.
“I’m looking forward to my next round of the NZRC. We had a tough time at Whangarei with some issues, but a lot of work has been done to make sure we are ready to go for the Daybreaker,” he said.
Geoff Ridder
Shane van Gisbergen traded tarmac for gravel earlier in the year when he took part in the New Zealand Rally Championship in an Audi S3 AP4.
“We did a test event a couple of weeks ago and the car was feeling great.”
Van Gisbergen said he couldn’t wait for the return of an event that’s been part of New Zealand’s rally competition heritage for more than 40 years.
“The Daybreaker was always an awesome event, and it’s great that it’s back on the calendar this year, I can’t wait.”
The Daybreaker, which started in 1983, returns to its former corner of New Zealand for the first time in a decade, after it was last run in 2013.
Van Gisbergen will be joined by around 100 other teams in a variety of cars from international specification Rally 2 to classic era. The capacity field will start from Feilding on the Friday night.
Saturday’s competition is broken into nine stages that will see the teams drive north to Taihape before returning in the afternoon.
WRC
Van Gisbergen and co-driver Glen Weston in action during the World Rally Championship New Zealand in 2022.
The final test will be held at the Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon, a 10.77km configuration that uses the circuit extension. Teams will then celebrate at the ceremonial finish from 4pm.
The field will be headed by those contesting the NZRC, a series currently led by six-time champion Hayden Paddon. Other entries include Palmerston North’s Brian Green, the only competitor to have won on multiple occasions.
Previously the event would start at midnight and became known as the title decider event for New Zealand rally legends Possum Bourne, Neil Allport and Joe McAndrew.
Van Gisbergen’s entry to the Daybreaker Rally comes days after his 10th place in a Nascar race in Indianapolis.
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