Asian Motor Sports

Holden’s Garth Tander will start from pole position for the opening race of the Placemakers V8 Supercars International at Pukekohe Park Raceway on Saturday.

Tander posted a super quick time of 55.7253 seconds in the top 10 shootout to set the field on fire. The Toll HSV Dealer team driver only qualified sixth for the shootout but put together a stunning run on the 2.8 kilometre track.

Holden Racing Team’s Mark Skaife slipped into second spot on the grid with a time of 55.7930 seconds.

Ford drivers Craig Lowndes and Russell Ingall will start from the second row of the grid.

Greg Murphy - the only Kiwi to make the top 10 - will start from ninth spot after posting a time of 56.4231 seconds.

With conditions almost perfect the opening 36 lap race looks set to be one of the best held at Pukekohe with almost nothing separating the field from top to bottom.