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.
