Toll Holden Racing Team’s Garth Tander has won the third race at Albert Park and along with it, the 2010 BRC IMPCO V8 Supercar Challenge.

While his two key rivals, TeamVodafone’s Jamie Whincup and Jim Beam Racing’s James Courtney, dropped off with mechanical dramas to their cars, Tander’s #2 Commodore slogged through to finish the 13 lap race.

Whincup’s engine dropped a cylinder and Courtney’s car was called in to the pits because of an oil leak but they were only two of the nine DNFs in the action-packed non-Championship race which has one safety car period.

SP Tools Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen finished the race in second and scored the second highest number of points over the weekend and Whincup’s teammate Craig Lowndes finished today’s race in fourth but racked up the third highest amount of points for the weekend.

Tander lamented the bad luck of his closest rivals.

“I think it was a shame that Jamie went out first and then James because it probably deprived everyone here of a pretty good race,” he said.

“Jamie certainly had speed in the opening lap and it would have been interesting to see how that progressed over 13 laps but you’ve only got to beat the guys and finish the race and we beat all of those, so we’re really happy with our performance this weekend.”

Tander noted that it continues his form from the Clipsal 500 Adelaide and shows promise heading into the ITM400 Hamilton.

“We had a fantastic year there in 2008 and we certainly hope we can continue the form that we are showing over the last two races because we certainly have a long battle ahead of us as far as the Championship goes but couldn’t be more happier for the guys and the team and all of our supporters and sponsors,” he said.

Van Gisbergen described the view out of his Falcon as a “smokescreen” when he was behind Courtney’s #18 car before discussing his own form over the weekend.

“Each race we were trying stuff for future races and it always took half the race to learn how to drive it and adjust the roll bars to best suit but we’re pretty good,” he said.

“We’re getting closer and I think for Hamilton we are a strong chance for the podium.
“I’m really looking forward to it and hopefully we can put on a show for the Kiwi fans.”

Lowndes said he struggled after the restart but the car got better as the race progressed.

“We were just lucky; obviously with Jamie having an engine problem and Frosty (Mark Winterbottom) having some problems with grip on oil,” he said.

2010 BRC IMPCO V8 Supercar Challenge top 10

Garth Tander Holden
Shane van Gisbergen Ford 258
Craig Lowndes Holden 220
Will Davison Holden 206
Steve Johnson Ford 198
James Courtney Ford 186
Paul Dumbrell Ford 188
James Courtney Ford 186
Jamie Whincup Holden 166
Lee Holdsworth Holden 148
Jason Richards Holden 146