Penrite Racing signs Bathurst winner Tander

Garth Tander has completed a shock Ford switch to Penrite Racing for the 2023 enduros.

After 642 starts — and 57 wins — in Commodores, Tander will race a Ford for the first time in Supercars.

The 2007 series champion’s departure from Triple Eight was confirmed earlier on Friday.

He was quickly announced at Penrite Racing, the team completing another high-profile coup.

Tander debuted in the championship in 1997, and has raced Holdens for the entirety of his career.

Since the end of 2021, Grove Racing has signed a number of leading figures.

Former Triple Eight engineers David Cauchi and Grant McPherson are now at the team.

Cauchi is the Ford team’s Team Principal, with McPherson leading the engineering and Gen3 efforts.

McPherson engineered Tander and Shane van Gisbergen to Bathurst victory in 2020.

Tander, a prominent feature of the Supercars broadcast team, has been a co-driver since 2019.

Between 2019 and 2022, Tander and van Gisbergen emerged as the dominant force.

The duo won Bathurst in 2020 and 2022, won the 2019 Gold Coast Sunday race, and nearly won the 2019 Sandown 500.

They also finished second in the 2019 Great Race, and would have finished second in 2021 if not for a late tyre failure.

Tander was signed by Triple Eight in 2019 after he missed out on a 2018 drive.

He previously raced for Garry Rogers Motorsport between 2017 and 2018 after leaving the Holden Racing Team.

Triple Eight retained Tander for 2022 despite having a number of drivers on its books.

Jamie Whincup retired at the end of 2021, and partnered with Broc Feeney.

Lowndes was shifted into the team’s wildcard entry, and Tander slotting in alongside van Gisbergen.

They duly claimed Holden’s final Bathurst victory. It was Tander’s fifth win, and van Gisbergen’s second.

The 2023 Repco Supercars Championship will commence in Newcastle next March.

Tickets are on sale on Supercars.com and Ticketek.com.