Tander cuts first Penrite Ford laps

Garth Tander has turned his first laps in a Penrite Racing Ford as the team debuts its new Gen3 Mustang.

Tander’s move from Triple Eight to Grove Racing was a major headline from the off-season.

The five-time Bathurst winner joins the team from Red Bull Ampol Racing, having won Bathurst twice with Shane van Gisbergen.

Penrite Racing rolled out the #19 Ford at Winton Motor Raceway for the team’s first Gen3 test day.

There, Tander was joined by full-time drivers David Reynolds and rookie Matt Payne.

Tander has yet to be assigned to a car for the 2023 enduros, with the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 to precede the Repco Bathurst 1000.

The 2007 series champion will also conduct a mentoring role with Grove Racing, with his son Sebastian also the latest junior signed by the team.

Penrite Racing was the fourth team, after Blanchard Racing Team, Dick Johnson Racing and Matt Stone Racing, to test new Gen3 machinery.

However, the Grove squad's first day with its new car featured a minor scare with Reynolds at the helm.

The #19 survived a minor mishap when the front-left wheel parted company with the car.

It was a hiccup in an otherwise significant day for the team, which has built its first cars in its Grove-led era.

Penrite Racing is sharing the Victorian track with Tickford Racing, with Cam Waters shaking down the team’s #6 Mustang.

Waters is running a plain black matte Mustang ahead of the team’s impending livery reveal.

Tickford teammates Declan Fraser and Thomas Randle are also at Winton.

The Campbellfield squad is also running two Super2 cars for Elly Morrow and 2022 Super3 champion Brad Vaughan.

Vaughan and Morrow were joined at Winton by Walkinshaw Andretti United recruits Ryan Wood and Zach Bates, who will make their Super2 debuts this year.

Veteran driver Jack Perkins also completed track time aboard his Erebus-run ZB Commodore.

The 2023 Repco Supercars Championship will commence in Newcastle on March 10-12.

Tickets are on sale on Supercars.com and Ticketek.com.