By Joanna Guelas
WHEN Garth Tander claimed his first Bathurst 1000 win, rising Supercars star Matt Payne hadn’t been born.
Now 25 years later, Tander has claimed his sixth title at the great race as a co-driver for Payne.
The 48-year-old is now level with Mark Skaife and Larry Perkins, behind only Craig Lowndes and Jim Richards (seven), and Peter Brock (nine).
Tander – in the No.100 Grove Racing car – flaunted his experience in torrential rain at Mount Panorama to help Payne reach top spot across 161 laps after qualifying in 18th.
The pair remarkably led just four laps of the 1000km classic, with Payne crossing the finish line in second to James Golding.
PremiAir Nulon racer Golding would have snared his first-ever Supercars race win had he not copped a five-
second penalty for a collision with then-leader Cooper Murray at Griffin’s Bend.
Golding and co-driver David Russell settled for third, with Team 18 pair David Reynolds and Lee Holdsworth second.
Payne’s remarkable victory in the seven-hour epic gives Tander his first Bathurst 1000 win in a Ford.
The long-time Holden hero made the switch after winning the 2022 race as a co-driver for Shane van Gisbergen.
Tander earns his sixth win with a fourth team, having completed the feat with Triple Eight, Holden Racing Team and Garry Rogers Motorsport.
“You never think beyond what’s right in front of you,” Tander said.
“I never ever try and think that we might get another one here or another one there.
“Just really, really proud of what Matt did to get his first (at the Bathurst 1000) and the first at Penrite Racing.
“We certainly started further back than we would have liked and the team did a really good job of inching our way forward.”
