Tander switches camps
By Thomas Miles
Date posted: 9 December 2022
For the first time in his career Garth Tander has switched camps from Holden to Ford.
After Triple Eight Race Engineering announced Tander’s departure, Grove Racing proudly released the news it had secured the five-time Bathurst 1000 winner’s massive signature on a multi year co-driver deal.
The news will come as a surprise with “GT” previously being a lifetime Holden driver, having recorded each of his 642 starts and 57 wins in Commodores since his debut in 1997.
Few can match his Bathurst 1000 record for Holden, with his five wins the third most all time for the brand only behind Peter Brock and Larry Perkins.
But in 2023 the unusual sight of Holden will be replaced by Chevrolet and Tander racing a Ford will happen.
He said the opportunity to reunite with some former colleagues and take on a new challenge at the “seriously impressive” Grove Racing was one he could not refuse.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to work in some great race teams in Supercars (and) what I have seen Stephen and Brenton Grove achieve in a very short time frame is seriously impressive,” Tander said.
“I have worked closely with many within the team in the past, having worked with Alistair McVean, David Cauchi and Grant McPherson already, as well as a team mate to Dave Reynolds way back when he was a little tacker. Something big is being built here and I am honoured to be part of it.
“With the imminent arrival of Gen3 coming in 2023, I am excited to get started and help the team wherever I can.”
While Tander has been announced as the team’s top co-driver for 2023 and 2024, the veteran also revealed he will support Matt Payne, who will make his full-time Supercars debut next year.
“When they asked me to be part of what they are building for the future, not only as a driver, but also to help mentor Matt Payne, who has already proven to be an immense talent and also help guide the Grove Junior Team it was something that grabbed my attention,” he said.
Grove Racing will not only utilise Tander’s skills on track, but also off it as he will play a key role in supporting Payne many other young guns through the Grove Junior Team.
The team includes Garth’s son Sebastian, who will join the program ahead of his SP Tools Australian Kart Championship campaign next year.
Triple Eight Race Engineering managing director Jamie Whincup paid tribute to Tander’s services when announcing his departure and the driver also said this time at the powerhouse will never be forgotten.
“I would also like to thank everyone at Triple 8 Race Engineering for the last 4 years,” Tander said.
“To have the opportunity to win Bathurst in 2020 and 2022, with SVG, added another chapter to my career and that’s something I am very grateful for.”
Tander will be reunited with both Grant McPherson and Alistair McVean, who both engineered him to Great Race wins, plus another former Triple Eight employee David Cauchi.
Cuachi has previously worked with Tander at Red Bull and is thrilled to resume the relationship after Grove Racing landed the big signature.
“To have an individual of his calibre elect to partner with us is a testament to the work the team have done over the past year and exemplifies the progress we have made,” he said.
“Garth’s a terrific guy who I have had the pleasure of working with previously and his knowledge and experience will be invaluable to the team.”
Team owner Stephen Grove said Tander was just the person his team was looking for ahead of its first season with Payne and Gen3 machinery.
“We identified the need for an experienced driver to work hand in hand with Matt in his first year and Garth was the obvious choice given his proven race winning pedigree and experience in developing race winning cars and teams,” he said.
“On top of that, we understood the need to bring a calculated driver into the fold to assist with the development of Gen3 in the early stages of the season, as well as the opportunity to take the best possible driving line up into Bathurst.”
With a proven winner in David Reynolds, a rising rookie in Matt Payne, a talented engineering group and arguably the number-one co-driver in Tander, Grove Racing is readying itself for a huge 2023.
For more of the latest motorsport news pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION.
AUTO ACTION, Australia’s independent voice of motorsport.
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