Tander Tips A Sandown Snarl

The Sunday Age

Sunday June 8, 2008

Stathi Paxinos

SERIES leader Garth Tander has predicted this long weekend's V8 Supercars round would be a rough and tumble affair compared to what he described as the "gentlemanly" attitude of previous years at Sandown.

The race format has been changed for round five of the series this year with the endurance event, which had been in place since 2003, replaced by three 39-lap races, to be held today and tomorrow.

Fresh from posting the fastest time on the last lap of the final practice session yesterday, Tander declared that the change would liven up the race, especially off the starting line, where drivers would no longer be prepared to give way going into the first corner. He said any subsequent chaos would make it unlikely for any driver to dominate the round as happened in New Zealand (Tander) and last round in Perth (Mark Winterbottom).

"The starts of all three races will be very critical here, particularly because it's such a long run down to turn one," he said. "In years gone by when we've had the 500 (kilometre race) here it's all been very gentlemanly when you go to turn one.

"It was just a bit of, 'After you', 'No you go first' type of deal because we (had) 500 kilometres to sort it out. But I'm not too sure that will be the case this weekend, so there's potential for tears at turn one. And the start grid itself doesn't offer a lot of grip - consistently getting off the line will be tricky, so there's potential there for passing."

Only 24 points separate the first three in the championship, with Tander on 896 points to Rick Kelly on 882 and Mark Winterbottom on 872. Qualifying for the first race will be held this morning before the afternoon race. Race two and three will be held tomorrow.

Tander had a mixed practice yesterday, lasting only one lap of his first session before colliding with Michael Patrizi in an accident where stewards found neither driver was to blame. The Holden Racing Team driver spent the final session lapping the 3.1-kilometre circuit in the one minute, 11 seconds range before unleashing a 1:10.45 moments before the session finished, ahead of Ford's James Courtney (1:10.46) and Mark Winterbottom (1:10.47).

"We actually missed most of the first session after I went to pass Patrizi, when it looked as though he left room for me to go through and then decided that he maybe didn't want me to go past. We made contact and I tore off a wheel and did a bit of damage . . . so we were behind the eight-ball from the start."

Tander appeared angered by suggestions that he traditionally did not handle the Sandown circuit well. When asked whether he had thought he had the car to set the fastest time yesterday, the Western Australian sarcastically replied: "I read through the week that apparently I don't go that well here, so I wasn't expecting to be fastest. I thought a few guys would be quicker than us."

Courtney said he felt his Stone Brothers Racing car was strong. "This track tends to suit our car a bit with the short, sharp corners that are pretty aggressive and quite bumpy," he said. "I think we've got a good chance of winning this weekend and I really hope I can because it's been way too long and I very much need it, so fingers crossed."

Winterbottom, who won at Sandown with Jason Bright in 2006, said his times had been affected by traffic.

V8 SUPERCARS

ROUND FIVE

MIDAS 400, SANDOWN RACEWAY

TODAY

Qualifying 9.55-10.50am

Race 1 (39 laps) 12.50-1.50pm

TV: Channel 7, 1.30pm-3.00pm (delayed)

TOMORROW

Race 2 (39 laps) 12.15-1.15pm

Race 3 (39 Laps) 4.05-5.05pm

TV: Channel 7, 1.00pm - 5.30pm (delayed)

RACE TRACK FACTS

Circuit length: 3.1 kilometres

Average speed: 142 km/h

Maximum speed: 261 km/h

Fastest Point: Back straight

SERIES LEADERBOARD

1 Garth Tander 896

2 Rick Kelly 882

3 Mark Winterbottom 872

4 Jamie Whincup 776

5 Steven Richards 721

© 2008 The Sunday Age

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