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TanderSport will be in action this weekend, July 11 – 13.

More information about TanderSport can be found at www.tandersport.com or www.leannetander.com

Continued from News

LEANNE TANDER AIMS TO END F3 CAREER ON A HIGH WITH INDY WIN

LEANNE TANDER hopes to finish her sparkling Formula 3 career on a high at this weekend’s Nikon Indy 300.

The Non-championship Nikon Indy 300 F3 Challenge will mark the final event for one of the most consistently successful F3 drivers of the past three years, Leanne plotting an already well-publicised move back to ‘tin tops’ next season.

Tander entered Formula 3 racing in 2005, before forming TanderSport with husband Garth later that year. After finishing fifth in her first full season, Leanne finished second in both 2007 and ’08, recording 22 podium finishes and 7 wins from 51 championship race starts.

With F3’s return to the streets of the Gold Coast this week, Tander is keen for a win against a strong international field to end her F3 career in the same way that her championship ended, with a win in the gruelling 30-lap F3 SuperPrix season finale’ at Symmons Plains in September.

New Zealand driver Ben Crighton – who will again line up in the #52 TanderSport Dallara F304 National Class entry - will be another looking for a good run - for more reason than one.

Firstly, Crighton will be keen to score a strong result after a fast but unlucky end to the championship series that saw several strong class results fall to the wayside due to situations outside of his control and secondly, he will celebrate a birthday just two days before he hits the track.

The birthday boy will make his Indy debut when the F3s take to the track for the first of three sessions in a gruelling day of on-track action on Thursday.

TanderSports hopes will be increased this week by the fact that the event will witness an essentially level-playing field for F3 competitors, with the series not having raced at Surfers since 2004. Tander has past experience at Indy when – as a teenager – she competed in the inaugural Young Guns race driving a production-based Honda Integra in the year 2000.

The three-race Nikon Indy 300 F3 Challenge gets underway this Thursday with one practice, one qualifying and a 10-lap race whilst Eight-lap races will be held on Saturday and Sunday.

 Leanne Tander - #42 TanderSport Dallara F307 Mercedes – Benz

“I would love to finish this stage of my career on a high point. Although we didn’t end up getting the championship we finished it on a high with a win in the SuperPrix which was a fantastic result, so it would be nice to be able to end the year with another win, this time at Indy.

”It’s a great event. The drivers coming from overseas to race will raise the bar and lift the level of competition even higher than it already is. I know our team will be on the ball with setup from the first session because we have been quick on tracks we have never been to with this car all year. I’m excited to be racing at Indy and to be able to try to end my F3 career on a high.”

Ben Crighton - #52 TanderSport Dallara F304 Spiess Opel

“I just can’t wait to get there. This will be my first trip to Indy, and I’m really looking forward to all the challenges that come with driving on a street circuit. I don’t think there are many on the current F3 grid that has driven there in the past, so it’s just a matter of who can get to grips with the circuit first. Bring on Thursday morning!”

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