Sunday Race Wrap: Phillip Island

Sunday 22nd November 2015

Conditions were cool, dry and overcast as the Holden Racing Team hit the picturesque Phillip Island circuit for the final day of racing at the WD-40 Super Sprint.With Tander starting 15th and Courtney 17th for Race 33 is was going to be a tough 45-lap slog for the HRT boys to find their way to the front of the pack. Tander did his best to make headway off the line and made up two places, while Courtney was tagged as Wood turned into the middle of the pack on the opening lap.

Suspecting damage to the right rear of his Holden Commodore, his engineer Alistair McVean called him in for his first stop. He wasn’t the only car to pit with a third of the field opting to make a lap-1 stop.

No mechanical damage was found on car #22 and with fresh fuel and tyres Courtney was sent back out on track. Tander meanwhile pitted just three laps later also for fuel and tyres. Once the field had completed their first roundof pit stops Tander was up to 9th and Courtney was sitting 13th.

The second series of stops for the Holden Racing Team took place on laps 21 and 22 with Courtney the first in for fuel and tyres. There were plans to make adjustments to the ride height of his #22 car, however they were abandoned as the bonnet was too dented for the crew to make this change.

Tander and Courtney held their positions through the second stop and re-joined the race in 9th and 13th respectively. This is where they remained until the chequered flag.

It was almost an incident free trek to the finish but with just four laps remaining car #2 had an engine misfire. Luckily this didn’t end Tander’s race and he was able to press on to the finish.

The final event of the 2015 V8 Supercars season will take place in just two weeks’ time, 4-6 December, at Sydney Olympic Park.

Adrian Burgess, Managing Director:
“It was another tough weekend for the team, we were trying a lot of new parts on the car this in preparation for 2016. Unfortunately this year hasn’t gone the way we wanted so we have to have one eye on next year.”

“Although the results don’t show it, there are a few positives and we did learn a fair bit this weekend, but equally we aren’t happy about where we finished.”

“The structure of our team for next year is now identified and set so we can focus on getting the group together for next season and roll out with a car that is better than the one we currently have.”

“We are still going to Homebush to fight for the podiums and fight for the wins but we need to go home, do some work and make sure we have a better 2016 then we have this year.”