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For more information about TanderSport head to www.tandersport.com

The latest results now see Crighton with 114 championship points, just six behind third-placed Mat Sofi and well within striking distance of the leaders should they slip up in just one of the remaining six races on the schedule.

The team will now prepare the car for the circuit known as the ‘paperclip’, Queensland Raceway, when the series rejoins the V8 Supercar calendar for the second time this year on August 21 – 23.
 

pic Klynsmith

CRIGHTON FLIES TO SECOND FOR TANDERSPORT AT THE CREEK 

IF THE CONTINUAL climb up the pecking order by TanderSport driver Ben Crighton is any indication of his potential, the quietly-spoken Kiwi will be dominating sooner rather than later.

Crighton and the #52 TanderSport Dallara crew were in superb touch during round five of the 2009 Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship held at Sydney’s Eastern Creek, putting in two impressive qualifying performances and one of the best race drives of his brief Formula 3 career.

Crighton qualified third for race one, before setting a last-second lap in qualifying two to put himself on the front row of the grid for the first time in his career, less than two-tenths from pole position.

In race one Crighton made a solid start but spent the race boxed in behind the dicing Joey Foster and Tim Macrow, finishing within a few car lengths of the two drivers currently fighting for the lead of the championship.

Crighton’s best lap in race one was just one-tenth from the quickest, and faster than 2nd placed Foster’s benchmark.

In race two Crighton slipped back from his starting position at the start, but wasn’t about to settle for third position.

After spending the first half of the race sizing up his rival Ben stuck on lap six with perhaps the overtaking manoeuvre of the season to date.

Getting a strong run out of the final corner, the #52 TanderSport Dallara drafted in behind the car in front before pulling alongside at the flat-out, 230km/hr turn one. Holding his ground, Crighton completed the exciting pass before pulling away in the final few laps to record a second place finish, his best of the season to date.


Ben Crighton - #52 TanderSport Dallara F307 Mercedes Benz: “I think we took a big step forward this weekend,” Crighton said. “We’re much closer than we have been. We were very competitive all weekend and it was almost like we got closer every session, which was really good. Qualifying didn’t actually go quite to plan, I would have liked the first session to be closer than it was but the second session was good, even though I left it to literally the last minute to score P2!  

“I got a good start in both races but once I was behind Tim and Joey in race one we were all very closely matched and it was very tough to pass. I had great car speed in race two and got a good run on Mat coming down the straight and was able to get past, which was really pleasing. It’s been a great weekend overall and now I can’t wait to go to Queensland to keep this progress up!”

Leanne Tander – Co-Owner / Team Manager, TanderSport: “The continual improvement that has been shown throughout the last few rounds was really clear for all to see at Eastern Creek,” said Leanne Tander. “Ben did a very good job all weekend. He was fast, consistent and in race two made a very good move to get to second place, which is our best finish of the year. Each time he gets in the car Ben gets quicker and quicker and as a driver that’s all you can do.  It is very realistic to believe that we can win races in the final three rounds. There is no doubt we have the speed to do it.” 

 

CONSISTENT CRIGHTON SCORES DOUBLE WINTON PODIUMS 

Tandersport  moved into third place in the 2009 Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship following a consistent double podium effort from driver Ben Crighton at Winton Raceway last weekend.  

Crighton took his #52 SANDVIK / European floor toppings TanderSport Dallara F307 – Mercedes Benz to a fourth placed start for race one and third for race two, before moving forward to score a pair of podiums on Sunday.  

The #52 car has finished on the podium three times in a row with the consistent haul of points elevating Crighton to third in the championship, one point ahead of Mat Sofi and 30 back from second-placed Tim Macrow.  

Crighton had a lonely run to third place in race one, but was involved in a competitive dice with two other cars in the second race, holding both off despite considerable pressure in a good defensive drive.  

In the process the Kiwi driver got closer to the leading cars as the weekend progressed as the team and driver continues a climb towards the top step of the podium this year.

Ben Crighton – #52 TanderSport Dallara F307 Mercedes Benz 

“It was a weekend where we got good championship points,” Said Crighton. “We had a few slight issues during the races that were a bit disappointing and took a bit of confidence away from me, but aside from that the car was really good. We had good cold tyre pace and were running with Joey and Tim but then dropped off slightly – but it was good to get the podium results today.  

“I’m looking forward to testing at Eastern Creek this week. It’s a challenging circuit and the test will be great preparation for the next round of the championship – and hopefully we can have some good Sydney weather as well!”

Leanne Tander – Team Manager, TanderSport.  

“Ben drove consistently and got quicker throughout the weekend,” Leanne Tander said. “We are starting to get a good run of podiums which is handy coming into the middle part of the championship. We’re at the half way point now so we need to work on closing the points gap to the leaders, and this weekend showed that we have the consistency and the speed to do it.  

“TanderSport has always had quick cars at Eastern Creek so we’re looking forward to the next round and the test this week.”

FIRST PODIUM FOR BEN CRIGHTON AS TANDERSPORT GETS BACK TO THE FRONT

Tandersport driver Ben Crighton has moved to fourth place in the Formula 3 Australian Drivers’ Championship after scoring his first career F3 podium at Wakefield Park Raceway last weekend.  

The New Zealander ended the weekend as the second fastest car in race two after a puncture ruined any chance of a top result in the first 20-lap race.  

Crighton had made a strong start to race one from fifth on the grid and had held down second place until the eleventh lap before the punctured right-rear dropped him down the field, eventually stranding the car at the top of the circuit with four laps remaining.  

In race two Crighton had no such dramas and placed pressure on Mat Sofi for the 20-lap duration to finish a strong third. Crighton also set the second fastest lap of the race on the final tour, showing his ever-increasing pace.  

The strong results have lifted Ben’s championship standings, now fourth with 40 points on the board. Crighton and TanderSport will next head to the first ‘repeat’ circuit for Ben – Phillip Island in Victoria.  

Crighton scored a National-class podium with TanderSport at the Island last year, with Leanne Tander winning outright there in the car Crighton now drives.  

BEN CRIGHTON – TanderSport Dallara F307 - Mercedes Benz 

“It was disappointing with race one not going to plan with the puncture. We needed to bounce back as we were struggling a bit in qualifying and in the first race. We did a pretty good job in the last race today – I think we had the pace on Mat (Sofi) but a bit of a mistake coming down the hill just dropped me back enough to not be able to have a shot at getting past – but I was able to hold out Tim (Macrow) which was good.”  

“It’s a great feeling to get the podium. We’ve been here in Australian Formula 3 a year today and this is a great reward. It will be great to go back to Phillip island. It’s a track I know and love and I was pretty envious of the ‘07s there last year! I can’t wait to go back.”  

LEANNE TANDER – Team Co-Owner, TanderSport.  

“We’re happy with the weekend,” Leanne Tander said. “We had known that Ben had the potential to get on the podium so it’s great to see him realise that in the way he did. It was a shame about the puncture in race one that cost him a potential second-place finish but he bounced back well and did a great job in race two.

“Heading to Phillip Island next gives us a lot of confidence because w e have always had very fast cars there, so we see no reason why Ben can’t do it again.”

Pics : Richard Craill  

 PACE PROVED DESPITE TOUGH CLIPSAL FOR TANDERSPORT AND CRIGHTON

TanderSport driver Ben Crighton bounced back from an early-weekend crash to score a solid points haul from the opening round of the Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship at the Clipsal 500.

New Zealander Crighton unfortunately made light contact with the wall at turn 11 in the very first practice session of the weekend, leaving him a session behind his main championship rivals from the outset on one of the toughest tracks around.

After the car was repaired by the TanderSport crew, Crighton went out and despite zero practice was able to qualify 7th.

From there the weekend proved to be an extended test session, though Ben proved up to the task – whittling down his lap times session by session to be ‘on the money’ by the final race of the weekend.

Ben was on track for a top-four (outright) finish in race two before overshooting the turn-nine hairpin when attempting to overtake two cars under brakes. He recovered to finish the race sixth and fourth of the championship class cars.

His best lap of 1m20.92 seconds was within almost half-a second second of the best lap logged by second place finisher Tim Macrow, showing the pace available.

As a result of the weekends' efforts, Crighton heads to Wakefield Park with 18 points and fourth in the Gold Star championship.

With the Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship not having visited the rural New South Wales circuit since 2005, the 2.2km track will prove a level playing field for this years grid.

For more information about TanderSport, please visit www.tandersport.com

BEN CRIGHTON – TanderSport Dallara F307 - Mercedes Benz

“It was a fantastic event to be involved in, but it just didn’t turn out the way I imagined! After I made a mistake at turn 11 early in practice, and losing the session we were on the back foot playing catch-up all weekend.

"It wasn’t an ideal start from a championship point of view with Joey getting such a big jump, but we still have 14 races left. We have shown in testing that the pace is there, and I’m sure as we move back the more ‘traditional’ circuits we will be more than competitive!"

LEANNE TANDER – Team Co-Owner, TanderSport.

“After missing practice, we were behind the eight ball all weekend and that made things difficult, but under the circumstances Ben did a really good job,” Leanne Tander said.

“The weekend turned into an exercise for gaining experience and getting Ben as many laps as possible. By the final race he was very competitive and if it wasn’t for the off he had at the hairpin in the final race he would have finished at least fourth outright. We go away from Clipsal with championship points in the bank and a solid foundation with a competitive car and driver. We’re all looking forward to Wakefield.”

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