HSV Dealer Team hunts fifth podium at Pukekohe
13/4/2005 22:40 (Press Release) -
The Holden Special Vehicles Dealer Team is hoping to bid farewell to Pukekohe Park Raceway by completing an unbroken string of five podium finishes in five years at the New Zealand round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series this weekend.
Since V8 Supercars started racing at the historic track near Auckland in 2001, the team has scored four podiums – three successive victories and a third – with Greg Murphy under the Kmart banner.
This year, in its new HSV Dealer Team colours, the outfit will be dipping into that pool of race-winning knowledge to give Rick Kelly and new team-mate Garth Tander every chance to collect the team’s fifth podium in the final Placemakers NZ V8 International at Pukekohe on April 15-17.
The future of the New Zealand round is up in the air for next year, although a Wellington street race is a possibility.
Kelly and Tander have both scored individual race podiums in the three-race format at Pukekohe, but a round podium has eluded them. Last year, Kelly came fifth overall, but believes the team has the right formula go all the way this year with its new VZ Commodores.
“I have always gone quite well at Pukekohe, and it would be nice to finish there on a high,” he said. “In Adelaide, the car showed plenty of speed, giving us pole position, so we know we can run on the pace. So as long as we get it all together, we have a good chance.”
Tander said he was aiming for a change of luck at Pukekohe. In Adelaide, his #16 Commodore was badly damaged when it was rammed from behind and sent crashing into a safety barrier. The car was rushed back to Melbourne for major repairs, completed just before the cars were shipped for NZ.
“The boys have done a magnificent job on the car and it should be fine,” he said. “It has gone off to New Zealand with set ups not a long way different to those used by the team last year. The team has an excellent record there with Murph and Rick, so I am looking forward to working with them for a good result.”
Tander said he was hoping to improve his luck at Pukekohe. “It seems that every time I get into a good position there, something has happened,” he said. “This year, I am hoping to string a good weekend together.”
Both drivers say the pace of the 2.8km power circuit and the three-race format lends itself to aggressive, exciting racing. Says Tander: “We are reasonable in the horsepower department, so it will be a good opportunity to see where we stand.”
Release Date: 11/04/2005
HSV Dealer Team
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