A week out from the Panasonic Air Conditioning Sydney SuperNight, Grove Racing has confirmed Garth Tander will join its Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship program in a one-off cameo.
Team owner Stephen Grove will also return to the series, marking his first start since 2022. The pair will drive cars prepared by Earl Bamber Motorsport under the Grove Racing banner.
Tander (#87) and Grove (#4) tested this week at Sydney Motorsport Park ahead of the Supercars round, which will see Carrera Cup cars race under lights for the first time at the venue.
Tander’s last Carrera Cup outing came at The Bend Motorsport Park last year.
“It’s great to be back in Carrera Cup,” said the 2007 Supercars champion.
“I had a great run last year at Tailem Bend and the preparations for me I found last year’s (enduro) races were really beneficial, this time at Sydney motorsport Park.
“Different track but one I’ve done plenty of miles at.”
Although the 47-year-old is widely regarded as one of Australian touring car racing’s greats, Tander isn’t setting his expectations too high.
“I’ve got no real expectations of where I’ll end up on the grid or where I’ll end up racing wise,” said the five-time Bathurst 1000 winner.
“I know Carrera Cup is incredibly competitive and it’s incredibly tight. I’ve got Dale Wood as my teammate at EBM so all I’m interested in is trying to beat him.”
Carrera Cup hasn’t raced at Sydney Motorsport Park since 2018 and the championship will have its first opportunity to race under lights come Saturday.
Teams will have one practice at 2:50pm AEST on Friday before qualifying on Saturady at 1:50pm that will be followed by the first race at 6:25pm as the curtain raiser to Supercars.
Carrera Cup will close out the weekend with its final races on Sunday at 10:35am and 2:55pm respectively.
Tander said the pre-event hit-out will give him a small edge over his competitors.
“I didn’t know the 992 hadn’t run at Sydney Motorsport Park prior to turning up for a test day so it probably does help a little bit,” he explained.
“But given all the championship drivers have been in the car all year and I’m stepping in for one, I’m not sure it’s a completely level playing field, but it probably helps me just slightly.”
Grove is the most successful Pro-Am driver in the championship’s history with three titles and 36 race wins.
His return to Carrera Cup is motivated by sheer enjoyment.
“It’s been a long while since I’ve raced Carrera Cup but we took the car out and did a test at Sandown a couple of weeks ago and it just felt like home, it felt grouse, so I felt like I had to come back,” said the Supercars team owner.
“For me it’s about enjoyment this year. I’m certainly outside of the championship probability by about three rounds, but just to come back again, learn the tracks again and then we’ll see next year and have a really bit tilt at it. But more than anything else what is really, really important to me is to have some fun.
“We’re heavily involved in motorsport in our program overseas with GT3, we have the Supercar team and we have this whole avenue of motorsport – I just want to have some fun which is the number one trick for me.”
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