WHEN you're about to embark on your first-ever competitive car race, having a former British Champion as your dad can have its advantages and disadvantages as seventeen-year-old Rob Shield is finding out.

Having made the step up from a reasonably successful karting career, Shield will follow in his dad, Michael's, footsteps when he takes to Croft Circuit, near Darlington, during the final round of the MSA British Rallycross Championship today.

Shield Jnr, from Cleasby, near Darlington, arrives at Croft on the back of his best kart race of the year when he finished third at Shenington, Oxfordshire, to take ninth spot overall in the Kart Grand Prix Super One National Championship.

He will be making his debut in the Suzuki Swift Junior support class and, although he isn't involved in the Rallycross championship, Rob is already dreaming of filling his dad's shoes by winning multiple British championships of his own.

However, Rob and Michael - who won the 1989 championship - aren't the only members of the Shield family to be linked with Croft as Michael's father and Rob's grandfather, George, promoted the sport at Croft in the eighties and nineties.

Rob's debut will make it three generations of the Shield family to race at Croft and the teenager admits it will be a special occasion for the family.

"I can't wait to get going and to fill my dad's shoes," Rob said. "I probably will be better than my dad, but he won't like me saying that to be honest!

"My granddad also spent many years at Croft. He used to run the circuit and promoted it and ran every single meeting.

"If he was around he'd give me a bit of advice, but obviously the Shield name goes hand-in-hand with Croft so you can't say much about it other than I'll give it my best shot and we'll see how it goes.

"I'm excited, I'm racing a Croft, the Shield name has got a big reputation here and a lot of people will be watching and a lot of people will see how well I do."

Thousands of spectators are expected to descend on Croft this weekend for the Rallycross championship finale and Sunday's Rallycross Grand Prix with well-known North-East stars set to take to the track.

They include Northallerton's Kevin Proctor, a winner in European rallycross this year, who returns for his only appearance in the UK this year, as well as Jonny Bean and his son, Charlie, who races in the Suzuki Swift Junior race. Father and daughter, Dave and Paige Bellerby, also from Northallerton will be in action in their Suzukis as well.

On Wednesday, several drivers took to the track for the Rallycross media day, which saw Rob get his first taste of action on the Croft circuit.

Inevitably, being a former British champion's son will have its advantages. However, on the flip side it brings pressure to emulate his dad's success but Rob insists he doesn't let that effect his racing.

He said: "I'm feeling a bit of everything really. Obviously I'm nervous but everyone gets nervous.

"People say there's pressure on me because of my dad and granddad, but I don't really feel it.

"It's my first time out, I shouldn't really take too much notice with it being my first race. I just have to race my own race and do everything that I normally do.

"I just want to do the best I can. Obviously I want to win and that's the main thing and I believe I can mix it up.

"Dad likes to give me tips but I don't always listen to him. It's great to have him around. I turn to him for advice, He's a British champion so he knows what he's doing, although he's my dad so I don't always listen!"

The next two days are likely to be very proud moments for the Shield family and Michael admits watching his son take to the track brings back memories of his own career.

"I do see potential there," he said. "He definitely won't go slow, because he never does. Everything is flat out with him. He wants to win, he's got that winning way about him and there's not much more I can really help him with other than the psychology side of it.

"It is great to see him out there and that was just practice. The weekend I cant wait for! I just hope he doesn't wreck the car. The whole family will be here to watch him and we'll be very proud whatever the result."

* Gates open at 8.30am Saturday and 8am Sunday. Tickets are priced £8 (Sat), £15 (Sun) or £18 for the weekend if booked in advance. Tickets are available on the gates or by calling 01325 721815. Admission to the event for accompanied children aged 15 and under is FREE all weekend.