Race 20 kicked off in true V8 Supercars style and there was push and shove from the get go.  Tander was quick to bolt from the starting grid and gain positions, and by lap two had settled nicely in to 9^th.  Courtney too muscled his way through to the pack up to 12^th during the opening laps.

On lap 13 Courtney was the first of the HRT cars to pit for hard tyres and fuel, Tander was in for his stop just one lap later.  After all the field had completed their first stop Tander and Courtney were both positioned well inside the top 10 in 5^th and 8^th respectively.  In the second stint Tander was hunting down Reynolds but despite his pace we was unable to get past.

Courtney was again first to come in for his second stop to swap back to soft tyres and fill with fuel, Tander followed suit.  Courtney was able to jump two places during his stop.  It was then a long 36 lap stint to the chequered flag, and it was down to managing the soft tyre until the end.

The V8 Supercars Championship next heads to Sydney Motorsport Park, 21-23 August.  Courtney and Tander’s positions in the V8 Supercar Championship Series remain unchanged in 5^th and 7^th.

Garth Tander, #2 Holden Commodore VF 

“Tough weekend, we really struggled to get a balance on the car and even this morning we really didn’t have the qualifying pace we needed which has been a bit of a common trend unfortunately during the last couple of events.”

“Again race pace was reasonably strong and made up a few places off the start. The guys did a great job with our strategy and our pit stops and we went from 14^th to 5^th.”

“So again another top five but we’ll be going away and concentrating on our qualifying speed and making sure we are starting a little bit closer to the front.”

Qualifying for Race 20: 15th
Race 20 Result: 5th
Fastest Lap Time: 1:11.0491

James Courtney, #22 Holden Commodore VF 

“It’s a little bit frustrating because we need to get out qualifying sorted, there is no point having good race pace if we are starting that far back all the time.”

“In the race the cars was good and the strategy was good as well.  During the first pit stop I didn’t quite launch well enough and at the end of the race I got a cramp in my calf and went off.  The car speed was good in the race and we were able to manage it well.”

Qualifying for Race 20: 15th
Race 20 Result: 6th
Fastest Lap Time: 1:11.0209

Now in its third year, HRT’s tribute is approved and supported by the Returned & Services League, with the initiative raising awareness and funds for the RSL’s annual ANZAC Appeal.

The 2015 version sees Holden’s famous HRT lion and driver logo again replaced by the RSL’s ANZAC Appeal Rising Sun logo, with a silhouette of ANZAC diggers from the original Gallipoli landing featuring on each side of the car and bonnet.

The ANZAC Appeal logo also features on the boot lid, with “ANZAC Centenary, April 25, 2015” featuring above the front windscreen and on the rear wing.

GM Holden Motorsport and Sponsorship Manager Simon McNamara said Holden was proud to donate its space on the HRT Commodores to acknowledge those who have served our country.

“The Holden Racing Team’s annual ANZAC tribute has become a very special part of Holden’s motorsport activities and in this, the 100^th year since the Gallipoli landings, it makes us even more proud,” McNamara said.

“As a company, Holden is privileged to be able to continue supporting the ANZAC tradition, honouring those that have served and paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country, while also helping raise awareness to the valuable work of the RSL.”

The RSL’s Victorian Branch Appeals Manager, Peter Smith OAM, said the organisation was delighted with Holden and HRT’s ongoing commitment to remembering the service and sacrifice of the Australian Defence Force.

“The ANZAC appeal logo on the car is great, and the silhouette of the solders is just so powerful. The cars look fantastic and it’s a testament to Holden’s support. It makes us very proud,” Mr Smith said.

“We’re raising money for veterans welfare – old veterans, young veterans, and their families when they most need help. This support and helping get our message out to Australians is very important to us.

Tander said he is passionate about ANZAC Day and the RSL’s appeal because of family ties.

“ANZAC Day is a very special day in my family because grandfather served overseas in the Army, so when you say ‘ANZAC’, the first thing I think about is respect,” Tander said.

“The ANZAC spirit epitomises what Australia is all about; going out of your way for a mate, doing the hard work, and doing it properly, and working together – and now as a parent I’m making sure my kids hear the full ANZAC story and what it means.

“To me, it’s special to be able to carry the ANZAC Rising Sun, and even more so this year with the 100^th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings.”

Courtney agreed, saying the ANZAC tribute is a memorable part of HRT’s year.

“The ANZACs fought for our freedom and made Australia what it is today, and their spirit and courage in battle is something we can never thank them enough for,” Courtney said.

“To have the original ANZACs shadowed across my car is a strong image that really brings home the impact of what diggers went through, and it’s great of Holden to give up its space for the appeal.

“It’s a special time of year and something I really look forward to representing with pride.”

The Holden Racing Team encourages everyone to support the ANZAC Appeal by purchasing an ANZAC Appeal badge and wearing it with pride, or by donating online at www.anzacappeal.com.au.

The team, which won Adelaide’s Clipsal 500 event last year with Courtney taking victory, made its race debut 25 years ago to the day – at the opening round of the Australian Touring Car Championship, the event held at the now-defunct Amaroo Park Raceway in Sydney.

On Sunday 25 February 1990, then-team manager and driver Win Percy drove the Holden Racing Team’s lone entry at the event, the #16 HRT VL Commodore SS Group A SV, and finished 14^th.

Since then, HRT has become one of Australia’s greatest sporting success stories with a record-200-plus race wins, including seven at the Bathurst 1000, and six championships – including a record-five straight from 1998 to 2002.

HRT also remains the only team to have won championship races in Australia, New Zealand, China, the UAE, and the Kingdom of Bahrain.

GM Holden Motorsport and Sponsorship Manager, Simon McNamara said HRT’s achievements across two and a half decades are a huge source of pride for Holden – with the relationship not only the longest in Australian motorsport, but also its most successful.

“The Holden Racing Team is an Aussie icon, and its history of sustained success is something that we can all be proud of – especially today, given it’s the team’s 25^thbirthday,” McNamara said.

“2015 is going to be a great year for HRT, as we celebrate its silver anniversary – and may the success on-track continue all the way through to the final round in Sydney, and beyond.”

GM Holden Design Manager, Peter Hughes said the team’s regular season livery took its inspiration not only from the menacing black HRT Commodore that ran at the V8 SuperTest earlier this month, but also past masters.

“I think the new look is aggressive, and unmistakably HRT,” Hughes said.

“The red and black look with traditional white bonnet is a respectful nod to the original VE Commodore from 2007. The livery we ran at the V8 SuperTest was really a prelude to what we’ve revealed today, with far more black.”

The enduring partnership between Holden and its official factory racing team is complemented by major commitments from SP Tools; Mobil, who head into their 22nd year with HRT, and HSV, which has been on-board from the outset.

Additional long-term partnerships include NGK, entering its 21st year with HRT; John Hart, a partner for 15 years; MTAA Super, celebrating its eighth season with the team; and PPG Industries, which has been with HRT from day one (initially as Dulux).

New partners Monster Energy and Dell join them, while Morris Finance has an upgraded presence with the team.

As part of the milestone festivities, the HRT Commodore will feature a number of special one-off liveries throughout the season, including the traditional ANZAC livery that this year commemorates the 100^th anniversary of Gallipoli.

The celebrations have also extended to the official team wear and merchandise – which has been transformed by TPF Sports, the global firm recently appointed as the Master Licensor for the Holden Family of Brands.

Holden Racing Team Managing Director, Adrian Burgess said the best possible way for the team to celebrate its 25^th anniversary was by fighting at the front of the ultra-competitive V8 Supercars grid.

“V8 Supercars truly is the world’s most competitive touring car series, and over the past 25 years HRT has established itself as one of the sport’s leading lights,” Burgess said.

“The team has worked tirelessly over the off-season to ensure we start this very special season on the front foot, and we look forward to seeing Garth and James fighting tooth and nail for race wins – and celebrating in style.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by HRT’s drivers, Tander and Courtney.

“It’s a wonderful thing to be part of the Holden Racing Team on this occasion – and I feel proud as a driver,” Tander said.

“The #2 HRT Commodore was strong at the end of last year, so with the amount of work we’ve done throughout the off-season we should be in a good position to fight at the front from the outset.”

“I love the new-look, our HRT Commodore just looks so tough and menacing – which is as it should be,” Courtney said.

“We’re planning to start this season in style, with plenty to celebrate off-track, so I’m ready to get behind the wheel and give it my best.”

The HRT Commodores will be on track from Friday 27^th February, with practice set to start at 9.05am ACDT.