Triple Eight issues van Gisbergen injury progress update
Shane van Gisbergen remains an "80 per cent" chance of competing at this weekend's Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint amid his recovery from a collarbone injury.
The Red Bull Ampol Racing driver, who clean-swept the Repco Mt Panorama 500 season-opener, suffered the injury in a mountain biking accident on March 6.
Van Gisbergen remains locked in a race against time to be fit for this weekend's event, which commences on Saturday morning, two weeks after the injury was sustained.
With four nights remaining until cars hit the track on Saturday, Triple Eight Commercial Operations Officer Jessica Dane said van Gisbergen's chances have already improved.
It comes after the Kiwi has undergone physiotherapy, stints in a hyperbaric chamber and got behind the wheel of select cars at Queensland Raceway and Norwell.
"I think if you had asked us a week ago, maybe even five days ago, what would were the chances of Plan A rolling out as scripted were, then I would see 60 per cent," Dane told Supercars.com.
"With a few more days under our belts, his recovery has really accelerated, and I think we can probably say we're more about maybe 80 per cent coming into the weekend of rolling out Plan A.
"We can do all the simulation and testing that Shane can possibly do. Nothing will really simulate what he will experience in the Supercar until he's riding those kerbs at Sandown.
Van Gisbergen at Hyperbaric Oxygen Gold Coast
"That's going to be one of the biggest things; he's had the opportunity to sit in a couple of cars at QR and at Norwell this week.
"He's reported that he was in a lot less pain than he thought he would be, which is fantastic.
"But we still have to wait and see until he does the real thing come Saturday at Sandown."
Should van Gisbergen miss the Sandown event and go on to win the title, he wouldn't be the first Triple Eight driver to register zero points and take out the championship.
However, Dane's ambition remains for van Gisbergen to get behind the wheel of the #97 entry this weekend, and she paid tribute to those behind the Kiwi's quick recovery.
Van Gisbergen won both races in Bathurst last month
"We were fortunate that Shane was able to go into surgery as quickly as he did, which enabled us to get on top of the recovery" Dane continued.
"Special thanks needs to be given to our physio and our general team welfare officer Chris Brady, who was straight onto it.
"He was one of the first people that Shane called when the accident happened, and he got him in with one of the best surgeons available.
"The recovery is tracking well... it's definitely a setback, it's not something that you ever want to happen, let alone after starting the season so successfully."
The Repco Supercars Championship field will return to Victoria this weekend at the Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint. Tickets are on sale now.
The event will be broadcast live on Foxtel and will be streamed on Kayo. Check out the full weekend schedule here.
