Garth Tander joins Holden Racing Team

The Holden Racing Team (HRT) has announced significant additions to its racing operation and driver line-ups for 2008 to further strengthen its performance. The reigning V8 Supercar Champion, Garth Tander, will join HRT, while Rob Crawford becomes Team Manager. In addition, Mathew Nilsson will join the team to engineer Garth Tanders car.

Tander said he was delighted to be joining the Holden Racing Team and was looking forward to driving with Mark Skaife in 2008. “Having driven with HRT at Sandown and Bathurst last year I know how professional an outfit they are. Hopefully Mark and I can push each other to greater heights next year,” he said.

“It will also be great to have Rob Crawford as Team Manager and Mathew Nilsson as my car engineer, given the success we have had. “I’ll certainly miss the guys who helped me win the championship at the Dealer Team and of course, Rick Kelly, who has been so consistently strong on the track over the last two years.”

Mark Skaife welcomed the announcement that Tander would join HRT. “Garth’s a great driver and showed what he is capable of achieving on the track this year,” Skaife said. I personally can’t wait to get back on the track early next year knowing the Holden Racing Team line-up on the track and off it is going to be stronger than ever.”

New HRT Team Manager Rob Crawford has spent eight years managing Clayton based V8 Supercar teams including the Holden Young Lions, Kmart Racing, the HSV Dealer Team and latterly the Toll HSV Dealer Team, where he oversaw back-to-back Team and Driver Championship results in 2006 and 2007.

He was also involved with HRT in the 1990s. “I am thrilled with the opportunity to manage the Holden Racing Team,” Crawford said. Current HRT Team Manager Rob Starr will assume an important role within Walkinshaw Racing in 2008, to be announced in due course.