Toll Holden Racing Team's Garth Tander scored podiums on both days at the Sucrogen Townsville 400.
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By Briar Gunther 3:05 PM Tue 13 July, 2010
Source: BigPond Sport
Garth Tander was more than happy to scoop podium positions in both races at last weekend’s Sucrogen Townsville 400.
While his results of 10th and 19th at the Skycity Triple Crown were not terrible, it was disappointing for his Toll Holden Racing Team (HRT), which was debuting new cars.
Tander finished second in the first of the twin 200km races at Townsville and quick thinking after crashing into a tyre barrier on Sunday allowed him to finish the race in third.
“It was my mistake,” GT readily admitted.
“Our car was very, very good up there at turn three where it started to break up and (I) just got in a bit hot and basically not even a foot wide (of the racing line) and on the marbles just slid wide and into the wall.
“I tried to gas it up and run along the wall but it just sucked it in and turned the car at 90 degrees and I didn’t know where I was (or) how far I was sticking back out on the track so I figured the best way was to reverse it and get off the racing line.”
To make matters worse, Tander could not see Craig Lowndes or James Courtney who were fast approaching.
“So I just tried to get out of the way,” he explained.
“If I held someone up or got in the way I am sorry.
“Look, if we ended up third on the podium after being in the barrier and dumping I think what was about 15 seconds, yeah it’s not a bad day.”
Tander agreed he would have preferred wins in both races.
“But second and third after a not-so-flash run at Darwin is a great result from the team,” he said.
And although Will Davison’s weekend begun looking like he would continue to experience his long run of bad luck, he also finished Townsville on a high note.
Damaged steering from contact with Lowndes on the opening lap saw him finish Saturday’s race in 18th but he qualified in seventh the next day. A wheel nut issue cost Davo precious time during a pit stop but he finished Sunday in sixth.
Fabian Coulthard, who races for HRT’s sister team Bundaberg Red Racing, was also in line to finish in the top 10 on Sunday but broken steering on the last lap stopped that from happening.
“For all the Walkinshaw Racing crew it was on track to be a pretty good day with three cars inside the top 10 until right at the last lap with Fab,” Tander noted.
“It’s a shame for Fab and the Bundy boys because they’ve been working hard with not many results and they deserve to have a top 10.
“The guys are doing a fantastic job at work and a fantastic job here at the race track and we’re all very motivated going into a long break.
“We’ll give the boys a good rest and then come out firing at the next (event).”
