IT'S ALL systems go for the 17 teams involved in this weekend's V8 Supercar series as action hots up on the track.
Teams began arriving in Darwin last Tuesday to plot their victory for Round 5 of the Supercar series.
While most of the major players of the sport come complete with an entourage bigger that some NT towns, three one-car teams will also take their place on the grid to rumble with the big boys.
Paul Cruickshank Racing will be one of those and as driver Marcus Marshall told the Northern Territory News they are just as excited as the top teams who will fight it out for first.
The former Indy car driver is in his first full season of V8 Supercars with a rookie team that is placed 28th so far this season.
"For us this rookie season is about patience to get the data that will help us tune the package as we learn more about the car," he said.
"It takes time for all that to gel together and our goal for this season is to finish inside the top 20 at least twice.
"We've already achieved that once with a ninth in the second race at Winton last round and I led that race for 37 laps so that was a big buzz for the team.
"Our race pace is not far off the mark but being one of the top teams is all about qualifying and we need to get more out of the car if we're going to be up there."
Team owner Mr Paul Cruickshank is enjoying the responsibility of overseeing a V8 team even though the demands of the sport are more than he expected.
"It's bloody hard work," he said.
"The most difficult part for our team engineers is to manage our tyres and make sure the chassis is working with them so they don't deteriorate too badly.
"From lunchtime today (yesterday) it's green lights for everyone for one of the greatest challenges in domestic motor racing in the world," he said.
Gents, start your engines
