V8 Supercars star Van Gisbergen ready for IMSA debut in Rolex 24

He's built like an NFL linebacker and drives with a similar, powerful style. New Zealand's Shane van Gisbergen can usually be found Down Under as one of the stars of Australia's V8 Supercars series, and thanks to some help from a friend and former co-driver, the 24-year-old Kiwi finds himself driving for Alex Job Racing in his very first Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Van Gisbergen first partnered with Dutch racing star and occasional AJR driver Jeroen Bleekemolen during the V8 Supercars' Gold Coast 600 event in 2012, and found a new friend and ready advocate when AJR was looking to fill its driver roster on the No. 22 WeatherTech-sponsored Porsche 911 GT America.

“I definitely tried hard and I'm really happy it worked out,” Bleekemolen told RACER. “His team reached out to me two or three years ago to ask if I could do the Gold Coast with Shane, and the first time they asked I couldn't do it because I had other commitments. Then two years ago, I finally could make it, and then last year they set up the deal that I could do the whole Enduro Championship in V8 including Bathurst so I got to work with him a lot.

“And I was really thankful that they gave me the opportunity to join their team. And while I worked with him, I saw he was such a big talent. In my opinion, he's one of the best drivers I've ever worked with. So then I tried really hard to just put him in with Alex Job. And I told them if they wanted to have a really good name on the car, they should try him. So I'm really happy it all worked out.

Bleekemolen was soon on the receiving end of a hearty thanks from Job.

“I think it was a couple of hours into the Roar when Alex Job came up to me and thanked me for putting his name in, because after a couple of laps in the car he was right on the pace with some of the best Porsche drivers in the world. So I think he's going to be really good and it's great that he joins the endurance races like this.”

Van Gisbergen will return for his second season with the Tekno Autosports V8 team after Daytona and says he would love to to get an invite for more endurance races with AJR.

“Petit Le Mans is one I'd love to do, so if my schedule allows, I want to come back…I'm really enjoying this experience,” he said before filming a video for The RACER Channel.

IMSA TUNE-IN:

Tune in for the 52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona at the following times:

Saturday, Jan. 25

2-4 p.m. ET on FOX (Live)4-9 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 2 (Live)Overnight (Jan. 25-26)9 p.m. – 7 a.m. ET on IMSA.com (includes live images, in-car cameras and announcers)Sunday, Jan. 267 a.m. – 3 p.m. on FOX Sports 1 (Live)

Tune in for the Daytona season opener at the following time:

Friday, Jan. 24

6 p.m. on FOX Sports 2 (Same Day)