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Podiums Point to Potential for Fleetcare Tandersport |
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Tuesday, 24 April 2007 |
Fleetcare TanderSport and driver Leanne Tander will head to the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit in two weeks time revitalised as championship contenders following a strong showing at Oran Park Raceway at the weekend.
After a tough start to the season at Eastern Creek in February, TanderSport bounced back in strong fashion at Sydney’s other major circuit yesterday by securing two podium finishes amongst one of the tightest Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 fields seen.
Leanne Tander scored two, third-place finishes in a competitive weekend
that saw her and championship leader Tim Macrow battle for a majority
of both 15-lap races at the 2.6km Oran Park circuit, with Macrow
narrowly edging out the Fleetcare Dallara by less than half a second on
both occasions.
The two podium finishes were the first for Leanne since round six of
the 2006 season and the fourth and fifth of her Formula 3 career,
showing a strong upward trend in performance for the Melbourne-based
squad.
Leanne still sits fourth in the race for the Australian Drivers
Championship, but only three points behind Stuart Kostera in third.
”We are getting closer,” Tander said.
“I have to say I’m a little bit disappointed because I just couldn’t get the car quite right for the conditions.
“That cost me on the first couple of laps of the race because I
couldn’t get the tyres up to temperature and by then there were huge
gaps to the others and I couldn’t do much about it.
“It just wasn’t quite there to suit the conditions,” she said.
Leanne added, however, that she hoped the weekend’s podium finishes became a trend for the remainder of
the season.
“I don’t think a win is too far away,” she said.
“I probably sound disappointed but I am happy – the podium is great and hopefully we can stay here from now on.
“I’m really looking forward to Phillip Island. We were right on the
pace there last season and I love the track so it should be a good
weekend for us.”
Earlier in the weekend Leanne qualified on the front row for race one, just .05s behind pole sitter Charlie Hollings.
In the second qualifying session the #42 Holden-Powered Dallara was
third fastest but just over one-tenth from the front. The strong
qualifying performance followed on from a similarly strong showing in
Friday practice where she set the fastest time by just over two-tenths
of a second.
And, in a diversion from the rigours of competing in Australia’s top
Open Wheel championship, Leanne took time out on Friday afternoon to
complete a truck-driving themed week by taking a lap of the Oran Park
circuit in the passenger seat of a 1400hp, 14-litre Supertruck.
With multiple Australian Champion Bob Middleton behind the Wheel,
Tander naturally found the experience completely different to driving
her Formula 3 car.
”I really enjoyed it,” she said.
“There was obviously a lot more body roll and oversteer compared to the
Formula 3 car and because it’s so big, and you’re so high from the
ground, I think it’s deceptively quick.
“One day I’d love to get behind the wheel and have a drive of one on
track - the last week has certainly given me a whole new outlook on
truck driving on both the public roads and on a race track!”
The next round of the Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship for
the CAMS Gold Star will be held at the Phillip Island Grand Prix
circuit in two weeks time.
TanderSport and Leanne Tander thank the ongoing support of their
sponsors Fleetcare, HSV, Holden, Greenwood & Freehills, Valvoline,
Web105.com.au and My105.com
For more information about Leanne Tander, Fleetcare TanderSport or the
Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship, visit
www.leannetander.com, www.tandersport.com or www.formula3.com.au.
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