By Matthew Agius
Little under three weeks ago, Holden saw its V8 Supercar Championship hopes take a hit with once championship leader Garth Tander slip down in both the adjusted and unchanged points ladders for the 2006 series.
As ever, consistency plays a major part in the championship picture – the points system rewarding finishers and even allowing a lifeline with the current drop-worst-round format. However Garth Tander endured a second consecutive ‘bad round’ at Sandown Raceway with the Holden Racing Team, and has therefore slipped right down the adjusted points order from second after Queensland Raceway – an event he dominated and won two months ago – to fourth behind leader Craig Lowndes, teammate Rick Kelly, and Ford revelation Mark Winterbottom.
The bad news doesn’t end there for the 2000 Bathurst champion. Despite the #2 Holden Racing Team Commodore being one of the quickest (if not the best) cars in the field, the reliability at The General’s flagship operation has been poor. Two gearbox issues in two rounds - Queensland and Oran Park - and now steering problems at Sandown, the HRT are looking worse for wear heading into the ultimate championship event at Bathurst.
Perhaps Tander would be ruing the choice to switch to the Holden Racing Team for the endurance races – especially after the car he would have driven back at his regular squad (the Toll HSV Dealer Team) finished second at Sandown – edging his teammate Rick Kelly the opposite way to him on the championship ladder…up.
Tander is now being pressured from Russell Ingall – a man who was out of the championship equation long ago. Ingall’s consistent approach has been double-edged for him in 2005 – whilst he hasn’t conceded much ground in the title fight, he hasn’t gained much either – maintaining fifth position in net terms since the Bigpond 400.
![Craig Lowndes - Team Betta Electrical [pic: BAM Media]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/260661.jpg)
