Three-time Bathurst 1000 winner and 2007 Virgin Australia Supercars Champion Garth Tander will join the Red Bull Holden Racing outfit as the second confirmed wildcard entry for next week’s BP Supercars All Star Eseries round contested on a virtual Circuit of the Americas.
Tander joins McLaren F1 ace and ardent sim-racer Lando Norris as the wildcard entries already confirmed for next week.
Tander will ditch his customary No.2 race number and instead don the No.42 on his Holden Commodore when he joins teammates Shane Van Gisbergen and Jamie Whincup on the virtual grid in Austin.
“I’ll be using the number 42, as that is my wife Leanne’s race number,” Tander told Supercars.com.
“My main number from Supercars was #2, and that is being used [by Bryce Fullwood], and my karting number was #51, but I don’t want to use Murph’s [Greg Murphy] number, so I figured Leanne’s number might give me some luck.”
Tander has been competing in the Carsales ARG eSport Cup across the coronavirus-induced suspension where he has found himself to be quite handy behind the wheel.
However, the 43-year-old admits it has been steep learning curve adjusting to the virtual Supercar.
“I’m really looking forward to the Eseries,” he added. “Just like the real thing, the competition looks tough and the intensity is high, so situation normal!
“I’ve been practicing quite a bit in the sim, but that has been in FWD [front-wheel drive] cars, so not really comparable to a Supercar.
“I have done exactly zero kilometres prior to being announced as a wildcard, however since then I have tried to get as many miles as possible under my belt.
“I think I qualify as an Erookie.”
Tander was a part of the Supercars field that raced at the circuit of the Americas back in 2013 with the Holden Racing team, finishing 5th, 13th, 6th and 4th across the four races.
Round six of the BP Supercar All Star Eseries gets underway on May 13 from 8 pm NZT.
Source: Supercars.com
Main Image: Getty
