Tander: No Grip!

There’s plenty of focus on hometown heroGarth Tander this weekend, but it’s all come unraveled for the West Australian,after a run of podium results at the last two events.

Tander has been off the pace at the ChillPerth 360, having finished 19th yesterday.

It’s not gone any better for the #2 HoldenRacing Team Commodore today, set to start from positions 17 and 23 for Races 11and 12 this afternoon.

“We saw yesterday that every time I startedto come through the field some idiot crashed into me,” Tander said after thetwo qualifying sessions.

“We just can’t get the car to grip up, sowe’re struggling.

“It obviously makes it worse in Qualifyingwhen you need the most grip. We’ve got a tough day ahead and will have to stayout of trouble – which is easier said than done.”

Though there will be an aspect of strategyin today’s 100km races, with pit stops most likely (though not required),Tander still seems to have written off the afternoon.

“I think longer races, with a bit ofstrategy involved – pit stops – will be a different type of race.

“It’sgoing to be a tough day, it’s just a matter of staying out of trouble, score asmany points as we can and get out of here.”

Sitting sixth in the Championship points– just three shy of fifth placed Shane Van Gisbergen – Tander knowsthe troublesome weekend will be detrimental in the long run.

“It will hurt, but there’s nothing we cando about it.

“We’ve just got to minimise the damage asmuch as we can and get out of here. We’ll go to Texas where everyone isstarting on a clean slate again and see how we go, but we certainly missed themark here this weekend.

“We haven’t been able to get the car in thewindow, so it’s frustrating given it’s my home race and 200 rounds thisweekend. It always seems on these milestone weekends that I never really have agreat weekend. So hopefully event 201 is a bit better than 200.”

One positive for Tander fans is Garth's wife Leanne won the Formula Ford race earlier today. 

Championship Race 11 starts at 12.05pmlocal time.