Cool, calm Tander joins the pantheon of Bathurst greats

Peter Brock, Craig Lowndes, Jim Richards, Larry Perkins, Mark Skaife. Now, you can add Garth Tander to that impressive list.

Among a team fighting for their first ever Bathurst 1000 win, with Matt Payne throwing all he could at his rivals, the 48-year-old kept his cool throughout the wild final stint watching on. He was just the calming influence such a situation required in the bunker.

The lanky West Aussie is now the sixth member of the six-time Bathurst winners club, jumping clear of five-time Bathurst winner Steven Richards. Brock went on to win nine, whilst Lowndes and Jim Richards both sit on seven.

Following on from wins in 2000, 2009, 2011, 2020, and 2022, perhaps his Sunday triumph from 18th on the grid is his most unlikely victory.

On one of the wildest days at Mount Panorama, Tander and protege Matt Payne rose above the chaos to claim a stunning victory, and secured Ryco Enduro Cup honours in the process.

Speaking post-race on Sunday, Tander stated that the latest Bathurst win in a remarkable career

“It’s amazing. As a young kid growing up racing go-karts in Perth, just getting the opportunity to race here was an honour let alone to have success," said the 2007 Supercars champion.

“To sit here now with six, you’d never dream it as a young kid growing up.

“I’m really proud of the team. I’ve probably had more to do with this team with the helmet off than the helmet on than any other team I’ve been a part of.

“It’s a very different feeling, a very special feeling.”

Tander made the shock switch to Penrite Racing from the mighty Red Bull Ampol Racing for the switch to Gen3 regulations in 2023.

It marked the first time Tander had driven a Ford in his entire Supercars career, whilst it also broke up a successful partnership with Shane van Gisbergen, the pair having won the 2022 Repco Bathurst 1000 in Holden's farewell.

Tander re-signed with the team in 2024, and was given an expanded off-track role as strategic advisor, guiding the Grove family's driver development programs and mentoring both Payne and rookie Kai Allen - both of whom will compete for a championship the Repco Supercars Finals Series.

When asked if his involvement with the team off-track adding to the significance of the win, Tander simply repiled: “That’s why it’s so special.

“Stephen and Tanya Grove, and Brenton Grove, everyone involved in Penrite Racing felt that I would be a good fit to help them where they needed help, to continue to grow the team.

“To help with Matt and Kai now, to see the growth of the team when I’m not driving the car but also to be part of that as well when I am driving the car. This one is really cool.”

Payne was involved in an almighty scrap with Cooper Murray, James Golding, and David Reynolds over the final 10 laps, as the race boiled down to a winner takes all duel in appalling conditions.

Payne had his first attempt on the lead with just eight laps to go, poking down the inside of Murray at Forrest's Elbow before attempting to hang tough around the outside of the kink at The Chase.

Neither driver lifted, with Payne dipping two wheels into the wet grass, and skating off the road at the left-hander in a wild moment, dropping to third in the process.

However, the decisive moment came with five laps to go, as Murray and Golding had their controversial race-changing collision at Griffins Bend.

Payne sliced through as the two Camaros tangled, however the Kiwi then had to fend off a penalised Golding, and more pressingly, former teammate David Reynolds, whom Payne fended off on the final lap for the win.

Emotions were running high in the Penrite garage, however wily veteran Tander knew all too well that things had to remain calm with 15 minutes of racing remaining.

"When I won in 2000 it was pretty wet, Tony Longhurst was leading with about eight to go, and he collected John Faulkner and tore the front corner out of it, and that opened up the race win for us," Tander said.

"So Bathurst is a crazy place, it's never over until it's over, and even when Jimmy and Cooper came together and Matt snuck through for the lead, our garage erupted.

“But, I was running around telling everyone there’s five laps to go, anything can go sideways here, given the wet conditions. That was a pretty tense final 10, 15 minutes but that’s just what Bathurst is.

“I knew starting 18th it would be one of those days with the weather forecast. You just had to keep your head about you and try not to make too many mistakes. Everyone would have made mistakes, it’s just how you recover from them.”

Most Bathurst 1000 wins

Correct to 2025 Repco Bathurst 1000