Silver lining for Garth after getting the axe

GETTING sacked could deliver Garth Tander a remarkable Bathurst 1000 win.

In the ultimate sporting silver lining, Holden legend Tander yesterday admitted that losing his job as a full-time driver has given him a shot at Bathurst glory.

“What happened in January was disappointing,’’ Tander said about losing his full-time drive with Garry Rogers Motorsport (GRM) at the beginning of the year.

“But I probably wouldn’t be a chance of winning didn’t happen.’’

Snapped up by the Red Bull Holden Racing Team as an endurance driver soon after his sacking, Tander was sensationally left without a fulltime drive earlier this year when James Golding and Richie Stanaway were announced as GRM’s drivers.

“The silver lining was the opportunity to join this team,’’ Tander said. “I wouldn’t have been at the Red Bull Holden Racing Team if it didn’t happen. If you can’t be driving full-time then you certainly want to be in a car that is capable of winning Bathurst if it endurance races and we have that.’’

Tander’s forced 10-month V8 layoff will end this month when he partners with Shane van Gisbergen in a heavyweight pairing expected to challenge for the win.

“It has been a different year for me,’’ Tander said. “It has been a tough year in some ways but it has also given me the opportunity to do some different things.

“I have done some TV work and some GT and TCR racing. I have kept myself busy and have enjoyed the different stuff. certainly

“But I would be lying if I said I hadn’t been watching the Supercars race and thinking that I was still capable of doing the job.’’

Tander’s sacking has given him a shot at winning his fourth Bathurst crown with the veteran admitting he would have been a rank outsider had he continued with V8 battlers GRM.

“It would be fantastic to win again,’’ Tander said. “Being able to add to my tally was not something that I thought was going to be a possibility a little while ago.’’

The Bathurst 1000 begins with practice on October 10.