TKR's future to be decided tomorrow.

By Matthew Agius

Reports from the New Zealand press are depicting Team Kiwi Racing's immediate future as unstable, and potentially fatal for the operation's 2008 plans.

TKR has, for some time, been dogged by rumours of increasing financial trouble - beginning from when Ford Performance Racing terminated its technical assistance package for the team, noting unmet payments from the then satellite operation.

Team Kiwi was hit by a double blow when driver Paul Radisich famously left the team amidst the FPR debacle, claiming that his contract had also been breached.

Whilst Radisich went on to partake in a successful endurance racing campaign with the Toll HSV Dealer Team, and then partake in the new V8 Touring Car Series in New Zealand, TKR was left in the V8 wilderness.

However, the team was thrown a lifeline by Stone Brothers Racing midway through the 2007 series, by running the All Black car from the SBR garages, with Kiwi youngster, Shane Van Gisbergen, behind the wheel.

Van Gisbergen has proved a solid steerer in his debut half-championship, claiming points at every round in which he participated.

Despite the upturn in TKR's fortunes with the SBR deal, the team was continually put under the microscope.

After FPR's highly-publicised battle with the V8 minnows, which saw the series' media contingent question the integrity of the All Black squad, TKR was again hit by controversy when clothing supplier, Apparel by Design, took legal action against the team in October.

Once again, claims of unpaid services were levelled against the Team Kiwi Racing, and whilst team owner, David John, attempted to avoid legal proceedings, Apparel by Design has taken the team to court.

The case will be held in February next year.

Recently, speculation has risen that TKR has again been unable to keep up to date with its financial commitments - this time to SBR.

Despite several reports in the New Zealand media to enforce this, David John hit out at his critics, telling Sunday News that negative media reports concerning Team Kiwi Racing's future are aimed at undermining the team's development.

John went further in bringing Van Gisbergen's loyalties into question.

"Shane needs to make a decision whether his future is with Team Kiwi Racing or whether he is just using the team as a stepping stone for something else."

That stepping stone could be a seat at Stone Brothers Racing in 2008, after the #9 car was vacated by Russell Ingall at the end of this year's championship.

"I see the potential for TKR and Shane as a combination to be a very strong competitor in the V8 Supercars championship - a consistent top-10 runner even."

"It is a very bright future but only very bright if these vindictive parties stop making accusations in the marketplace that they know are damn-well false."

Stone Brothers Racing has been quick to ensure the services of Van Gisbergen long-term, with the young Kiwi contracted to the team until 2010, and merely sub-contracted to TKR.

John also told the Sunday News that his team has the ability to provide Van Gisbergen with equal equipment to SBR.

"We've got the opportunity to provide Shane with exactly the same equipment or gear at this point in time as the Stone Brothers guys."

"If he wants to go to SBR, he's not going forward because we can provide exactly the same equipment, car, engine programme the whole lot."

However with the team's main success only coming through forming technical partnerships with Paul Morris Motorsports, Ford Performance Racing and now Stone Brothers Racing, his claims seem baseless if SBR decide to terminate their services for the team in 2008.

There is no question that Van Gisbergen would be 'going forward' should he be offered the second seat at SBR ahead of other candidates - Steve Owen and David Besnard.

SBR has been one of the most successful teams of the V8 Supercar formula - with three Drivers' Championships, one Bathurst victory and a vast number of pole positions and victories to its name.

Both parties will meet tomorrow to decide whether they will be partners in 2008.

However the likelihood of the partnership continuing, with the Apparel by Design case to be held just before the start of the 2008 series, remains to be seen.