Garth Tander takes pole for GC600 Race 19

Garth Tander has taken pole position for today’s Race 19 of the V8 Supercar Series at the Surfers Paradise street circuit.

The Toll Holden Racing Team driver was the second last car on the circuit during the Top 10 Shootout, and survived a monster moment at the entry to the BigPond Hairpin to score pole.

The West Australian removed his right hand side mirror on the concrete wall on the way into the corner, and subsequently understeered past the apex of the left hander with the left front wheel locked.

Despite the drama, Tander lost minimal time in the first sector, and overhauled James Courtney’s benchmark lap by a tenth of a second to take pole.

Courtney’s lap proved good enough for second, ahead of an impressive Paul Dumbrell, yesterday’s fast man Mark Winterbottom, and this morning’s provisional pole sitter Lee Holdsworth.

TeamVodafone duo Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup could only manage sixth and eighth respectively – leaving Whincup’s co-driver Steve Owen with a daunting task of keeping the championship contender’s car out of trouble on the opening lap.

Steven Richards split the pair in seventh, while Michael Caruso and Will Davison rounded out the top 10.

Race 19 will kick off at 1335.

Armor All Gold Coast 600 Qualifying Race 19

1. #2 Garth Tander 1:12.6841
2. #18 James Courtney 1:12.7886
3. #55 Paul Dumbrell 1:12.8301
4. #65 Mark Winterbottom 1:12.9361
5. #33 Lee Holdsworth 1:13.0330
6. #888 Craig Lowndes 1:13.2678
7. #6 Steven Richards 1:13.3678
8. #1 Jamie Whincup 1:13.4799
9. #34 Michael Caruso 1:13.6265
10. #22 Will Davison 1:13.6466