Motorsport: Tander fender bender fails to dent title hopes

Garth Tander drives his No 2 Holden Commodore at Sandown before the crash. Photo / Getty Images

It takes more than a 265km/h crash to dampen Garth Tander's hopes of winning the Australian V8 Supercars title this year.

Tander, one of five bunched at the top of the series (the others being leader James Courtney, Jamie Whincup, Mark Winterbottom and Mark Lowndes and who all have a chance to win the title with only four races to go) halted yesterday's race midway through the opening lap.

Tander's Holden and the grid's second place-sitter Paul Dumbrell touched several times shortly after the start and Tander's tyre deflated, sending his car hurtling head-first into a tyre barrier.

The West Australian walked away unhurt after the accident and was confident his car could be repaired overnight in time for today's two races.

But he said it was disappointing his chances yesterday had been ruined by "somebody else's mistake".

Certainly matters played into Dumbrell's hands - the Victorian went on to break an 11-year drought to take his first V8 Supercar win. The Ford driver beat Holden star Whincup with Ford's Winterbottom third.

Championship leader Courtney finished fourth and still leads the series, although his edge over Whincup has been cut to 32 points.

After the restart, Dumbrell and Whincup again lined up together on the grid but Whincup got the jump and led into the opening turn. However pitstop strategy turned the race in Dumbrell's favour and he was able to hold off Whincup.

- AAP