Kiwi driver Shane Van Gisbergen has moved to the top of the Supercars standings after finishing second at the Sandown 500 today.
Holden Racing Team pilot Garth Tander managed to nurse his Holden home in the closing stages as part of the body work on the car peeled back but remained attached enough to the car to avoid being ordered to the pits by race control. He held off a charging Van Gisbergen, who managed to overhaul a 12 second lead going into the final part of the race to catch Tander on the final lap but was unable to find a way past.
Tander, who was partnered by Warren Luff, gets his first win since 2014 and provides a timely boost for the team after the recent announcement that Holden will withdraw its funding at the end of the season.
Van Gisbergen and co-driver Alex Premat mastered the changeable conditions in Melbourne as teams swapped back and forth between wet and dry tyres.
The Kiwi started the day 137 points adrift of his Red Bull Racing teammate Jamie Whincup but a pit stop infringement while co-driver Paul Dumbrell was about to jump out of the car saw the number 88 car handed a drive-through penalty, killing off any chance they had of finishing among the top spots.
