SVG braced for emotional Pukekohe farewell

Shane van Gisbergen is trying not to get caught up in the emotions of Pukekohe’s Supercars swansong.

The ITM Auckland SuperSprint will be the final Supercars round at Pukekohe.

The venue will cease motorsport operations in 2023.

Supercars will continue to race on in New Zealand, which has produced the last two Supercars champions.

Scott McLaughlin won three in a row (2018-20) before van Gisbergen won last year.

Van Gisbergen is 500 points clear atop the standings, and is odds-on to make it five in five for Kiwis in Supercars.

Australian drivers still hold the edge over the locals on race wins at Pukekohe, claiming 25 of the 42 Supercars races held at the circuit.

McLaughlin and van Gisbergen won the two races at the 2018 and 2019 Pukekohe events.

Drivers will also vie for the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy, which will be awarded to the driver who scores the most points over the weekend.

Van Gisbergen, who was grew up in Manukau in Auckland’s south, fell in love with Supercars watching Greg Murphy in the early 2000s.

Only Murphy (nine wins) and Jamie Whincup (six) have more Pukekohe wins than van Gisbergen.

"My interest in Supercars started at Pukekohe. I’d love to go out there with a good result," he said.

Van Gisbergen salutes the crowd in 2019

"I’m trying not to get too excited, I wanna go there and treat it like any other round.

"I’m trying not to get too caught up in the celebrations. I’m pretty excited to go there."

Van Gisbergen and McLaughlin won six of the last nine races at Pukekohe.

Van Gisbergen also took out the Richards Trophy for a second time in 2019.

The series leader is one of two locals in the 25-car field, along with Andre Heimgartner and Chris Pither.

Recently, van Gisbergen was witness to New Zealand’s hunger for motorsport in rally starts.

Later in September, he will make his World Rally Championship debut in Rally New Zealand.

When asked if he is desperate to win the final Pukekohe Supercars race, he said: "That would be a dream.

"New Zealand’s been starved of motorsport.

"Even when I’ve been going back for rallies, the passion for racing there is huge.

"The talk of Supercars, the talk of WRC, it’s an awesome time.

"Hopefully myself, Andre and Chris can get up there and put on a good show."

Supercars will be on track on all three days of the September 9-11 event.

Purchase your ITM Auckland SuperSprint tickets now.