The Giz ... Shane van Gisbergen wins race three of the V8 Supercars event in Melbourne. Source: Tim Carrafa / News Limited
They say if you don't like Melbourne's weather, just wait five minutes.
The same could have been said about the race leader in the wet and wild third V8 Supercars exhibition event at the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park on Saturday.
In the end, Shane van Gisbergen emerged triumphant from a rollercoaster 12-lap ride at Albert Park as the miserable conditions played havoc with the 27-strong field.
The Kiwi incredibly finished almost 13 seconds ahead of Craig Lowndes with van Gisbergen's Holden teammate Jonathan Webb third.
Van Gisbergen still lives day to day with the threat of legal action stopping him from competing after a messy departure from his former team.
If the Kiwi was distracted by it, he hid it well on Saturday.
"I expected to be sitting at home doing nothing," van Gisbergen said of his initial V8 season plans.
"But I knew with a good team and great car, I was a good chance of getting results.
"There is a nice atmosphere and environment in our team and I feel I am driving really well."
The day started under grey clouds yet at one stage the Melbourne street circuit was bathed in sunshine.
However, pelting rain greeted the nervous V8 drivers when they emerged for Saturday's half-hour blitz.
And the race lead changed almost as much as Mother Nature.
Keen to seal a third straight win in Melbourne, Fabian Coulthard tried to stay out of trouble as pole sitter and luck appeared to be on his side when Lowndes' first-lap challenge failed.
Lowndes reeled in Coulthard by the first lap and appeared to have the Kiwi's measure, only to lock up and spear off the track losing precious time.
Then van Gisbergen had a crack at Coulthard, only for him to find the gravel by the second lap just as he had taken the lead and dropped back to fifth.
It was then Coulthard to find grief as race leader.
The Holden driver came off the greasy track on the third lap and dropped to third, opening the door once again for van Gisbergen and Lowndes to vie for the lead.
Somehow, van Gisbergen avoided more drama in conditions that were so bleak that most competitors had their headlights on.
It might be an Australian Grand Prix support category but the win continued New Zealand's dominance of the V8 exhibition event.
Coulthard had claimed the first two races before van Gisbergen made it a three-peat for the drivers across the ditch.
Coulthard was joined on the front row of the starting grid on Saturday by teammate Jason Bright after race two's runner-up Lowndes copped a one-grid penalty for a pit-lane infringement on Friday.
Lowndes was knocked back a spot on the grid for his pit-lane tangle with Bright in race two.
"I am happy that common sense prevailed. I am surprised that the penalty was not more though," Bright said of Lowndes' punishment.
No championship points are on offer in Melbourne.
The exhibition is completed by a 12-lap event on Sunday from 1.20pm (AEDT).
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