Tander second fastest in Paradise

The Toll Holden Racing Team’s Garth Tander has secured a front row start in tomorrow’s first race for the Coffee Club V8 Supercar Challenge at Surfers Paradise.
Holden hero Tander set up a thrilling showdown with title rival and series points leader Jamie Whincup, the Ford driver edging Tander for pole.

“We said before the start of the weekend if we could qualify on the first couple of rows we’d be happy and we’re on the front row, so today has gone okay. The car was good first up, but we probably didn’t make the gains we needed to make. The car balance isn’t as I’d like, so we’ve got a little bit of work to do tonight. You’ve got to fight the whole way and that’s what we’ll do, along with doing the best we can.”

Mark Winterbottom, the driver that separates Tander and Whincup in points, set the fourth quickest time ensuring a dramatic charge to turn one.

Tander’s Toll HRT team-mate Mark Skaife will start from 16th position, a lap that looked set to secure his position in the top 10 ended with an ill-timed red flag.

“I was on my best lap, two-tenths up in the first sector and looking good for a top 10 position, when the session was red flagged with 1m 30s to go. It was disappointing, but what can you do.”