Garth Tander started the 42 lap race from the second row after producing the fourth best lap time during the day’s Top 10 Shootout, and was quickly into third off the start line in the #2 Toll HRT Commodore.

Comfortably running top three, but not with the pace to match leaders Mark Winterbottom and Jamie Whincup, the 2007 V8 Supercar Champion lost vital track position with a slow pit stop, which dropped him down the order.

Running fifth late in the race, Tander then made a small error heading into turn one, spearing off track and losing another five spots – Tander finishing tenth.

For team-mate Will Davison the news wasn’t any better, today yet another disappointment in an extremely frustrating season for the reigning Barry Sheene Medallist.

First he was punted off track in the final moments of qualifying when on a lap good enough to secure him a Top 10 Shootout spot – Davison subsequently missing out with a 12th best lap time.

Then, just seconds after this afternoon’s race start, a gearbox problem saw the #22 Toll HRT Commodore stuck in second gear and into the pits at the end of Lap 1.

Repairs were made to the car, Davison returning to the circuit, but the issue immediately struck again, Davison recording a DNF.

Ford driver Winterbottom won the race from Holden’s Whincup, Shane Van Gisbergen third.

The results had an effect on the series points, Tander dropping one spot to sixth, Davison two spots to 17th with 13 of the season’s 26 races remaining.

The SKYCITY Triple Crown concludes with a 200km race tomorrow with full coverage on Channel 7 – check your local guides for full details.

Garth Tander, #2 Toll Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VE:

“Today wasn’t a fantastic race for me and the Toll Holden Racing Team today. We started fourth, got to third quickly off the line and were sitting there alright, but we did not have the pace of Winterbottom and Whincup. Our pit stop went longer than we needed and that dropped us down the pack. We were down in fifth, sort of okay, but I made a small mistake at turn one and went off, dropping back to tenth. Realistically, today we had a car that was good enough for third or fourth, but it was my mistake that cost us that. We made some changes overnight thinking they would improve the car, but they didn’t. We’ll tune the #22 Toll HRT Commodore up tonight and have another go tomorrow.”

Will Davison, #22 Toll Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VE:

“Today was probably the shortest race of my career, but that’s been the story of our year to date. I got a great start, rounded up Lowndes and Jason Richards quickly, but as I pulled second gear it broke something in the gearbox and got stuck in second. It could have happened in practice or qualifying, but with our season it happened in the race. As has been said before, when it rains it pours and that’s just the way it goes. I’m disappointed, not only for myself, but also for all my team-mates – they’re the ones who put in a huge effort to get us on the grid and it’s disappointing for them as well.”

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