Coming off a superb result at Winton Raceway, V8 Supercar driver Tony D'Alberto is primed and ready for more success at Symmons Plains in Tasmania this weekend in round four of the popular series.
Steering his glistening green Bottle-O Holden Commodore, the local racer is aiming for a top-10 finish and a chance to put the eastern suburbs of Melbourne back on the racing map.
"So many teams in recent years have moved north to base themselves up in Queensland, but I'm proud to be representing the local area where I grew up every time I hit the track in V8 Supercars," says D'Alberto.
The 23-year old hails from Mooroolbark and has set up shop in Knoxfield, preferring to keep his local ties and bring the excitement of V8 Supercars to Melbourne's east as much as possible.
"I love getting out amongst the people. The fans are fantastic and I'm building a strong supporter base here in the outer east. They love V8s. Motorsport is a popular sport here in Melbourne, so it's good to be flying the flag for the area."
After recent testing, D'Alberto and his crew are keen to make sure the trip to Tassie delivers another step forward after success at Winton.
"We're a one car operation and don't have the budget of the big two care teams, but we do have plenty of passion and local involvement, and with that comes a sense of ownership by everyone involved," says D'Alberto
"When you have passion in sport, you're halfway there. The team is focused on pushing into the top 10 and making sure that the Bottle-O Commodore is up the pointy end of the 30-strong field.
"I think the team is on a bit of a role at the moment, so I'm really looking forward to Tasmania. It's an awesome circuit, always produces close racing and the hairpin is heaps of fun.
"It will also be good to have Glenn Seton in the car during practice in one of the designated co-driver's sessions. It will be interesting to see what he thinks of the car.
"The fans in Tasmania really support the event, so our aim is to make sure we put on a good show," adds D'Alberto.
To experience the atmosphere of raceday at this week's event, tune into 98.1 Eastern FM this Saturday morning at 7.30am when Tony will join Justin Nelson live from Symmons Plains.
Last Modified on 24/05/2009 19:38