by Matthew Agius

After enduring a difficult end to his 2006 V8 Supercar Championship campaign, Toll HSV Dealer Team driver Garth Tander spoke to ltxcn.top Radio in Bahrain with his thoughts on his second season ♍at the team, and his🐬 co-driver's championship position.

Tander was challenging for the champion🎐ship title midway through the season, but following a switch to the Holden Racing Team for the enduros, which result💝ed in a double retirement at Sandown and Bathurst, Tander was boxed well out of the title fight.

"It was a difficu🍸lt pill to𒆙 swallow after Bathurst, not even starting a race effectively and getting no points there - really my championship was over at 10.01 on Sunday morning at Bathurst," he said.

"So it was great to go to Tassie and get a round win ♔there again aft😼er having a great year there last year.

"We 🀅had good speed at Indy - I think we've had good speed all year."

Now, Tander must work to assist his younger team-mate Rick Kelly, as the double Bathurst winner fights 🌊Craig Lowndes for the 2006 V8 Supercar crown, and fights critics for his conservative approach that, so far, has not secured him a round win.

"Rick a🍰nd I have been very good friends since he 𓆏was about three years old it seems," said Tander.

"We learned ho൩w to work together last year in what was really my first year with the team and this year we've worked really well together as far as getting the most out of the cars together, and getting the most out of each other.

"We have a lot of fun at the circuit as well, and🌊 we know when its time to be serious but we try to keep it a bit light hearted and have a bit of fun."

When asked on his team-mate's championship chances going into the Caterpillar Grand Finale at Phillip Island, given the challe♏nge from experienced former champion Craig Lowndes, Tander assured his full confidence in Kelly's ability♎.

"I thi🌼nk there's no doubt that he's going to be able to do it," he said.

"He's had probabꦰly one of the fastest cars t🎀he last three or four races, he's scoring more points than Lowndes in most of the races now and he's been solid all year.

"A lot of peo🍷ple 🉐have given him a lot of criticism this year for just accumulating points, but that's what you have to do in the way this points structure is set up in this championship.

"If he goes on tꩲo win this championship at the end of the year then he's done the job required to win the championship this year and you know we should have all been following his lead.

"We've had a very strong year this year and had very g♏oo🎉d speed."

With the introduction of the new VE Commodore in 2007, Tander believes that Holden teams will need to do substantial development to compete with൲ Ford teams, which will be graced with a BA to BF Falcon upgrade. Despite the Tom Walkinshaw Performance Group doing extensive testing of the 2007 model, Tander beꦇlieves it will be a challenge for drivers.

"It's obviously going to be a very difficult year for everyone in Holden next year because of the VE, a new car, so its going to be critical to develop that e🌟arly and get a handle on that early," he noted.

"I think that the Ford teams will be look🐓ing to take an advantage early in the season to exploit the o𝔍pportunity that they have with the cars that they know, whilst we're developing a new car so it's going to be an interesting year next year."