There will be no team orders for Toll HSV Dealer Team colleagues Garth Tander and Rick Kelly as they get set for this weekend's four-way V8 Supercar title showdown with Triple 8 TeamVodafone's Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes at Phillip Island.
Tander goes into the V8 Grand Finale in second place, seven points behind new leader Whincup, but 14 points ahead of third-placed Lowndes, while Kelly returns to the scene of his 2007 championship triumph some 48 points behind Whincup in fourth place. However, with a possible 72 points on offer from the weekend's three races, anything remains possible for the quartet.
“They are both in it to win it and the best way to do that is to get to the front and stay there,” said team manager Rob Crawford:
Although Tander has to beat Whincup by eight points, if he wins the round and all is tied on points, the Toll HSV driver will win a count-back of second places, by two to one. This weekend's shot is seen as Tander's best chance to shake the claim that he is the best V8 driver yet to win the crown since he came second to Mark Skaife in 2000, and he heads into the weekend with the season's best record, winning more races and leading more laps than both of the Triple 8 drivers combined.
Qualifying has also been a major strength for Tander this season, with three pole positions and five other front row starts, but he is still stinging from the last-race collision with Steve Richards in Tasmania that cost him the championship lead.
“After Symmons Plains, we are a little behind where we wanted to be, but we only have to make up a small number of points to close the gap," he reflected, "I feel we are more than capable of doing the job. Our plan will be to continue to qualify well, which we have done all year, and then, if we can win the first race, it is certainly going to put pressure on both Triple 8 guys."
Tander admitted that he did not expect any help from his team-mate this weekend, despite Kelly's bigger deficit to Whincup.
"Rick can still mathematically win the championship, so anything is possible," he said, "We certainly haven't discussed team tactics, that's for sure. It won't be a case of Rick sacrificing himself to help me.
![Toll HSV Dealer Team's Garth Tander and Rick Kelly, who will be paired for the Supercheap Auto 1000 at Bathurst [Pic credit: Toll HSV]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/378750.jpg)
