Garth Tander will next year return to the Garry Rogers Motorsport outfit with which he started his career in the Australian Supercars series.
The 2007 champion and three-time Bathurst 1000 winner left Walkinshaw Racing at the end of the 2016 season after 12 years, replaced by Scott Pye as the team lost its factory Holden backing.
Tander will now rejoin GRM, the team he made his debut in 1997 and won Bathurst for the first time in 2000 with, filling the seat vacated by DJR Team Penske recruit Scott McLaughlin.
The 39-year-old finished ninth in the 2016 standings, winning the Sandown 500 just days before he was informed of his Walkinshaw exit.
“People don’t understand that when he left the team he did so on good terms,” Garry Rogers told the series’ website.
“I understood the opportunity he got and it’s never been an issue to me.
“When we realised we might be able to get him and we had a chat to him it all just went the right way.
“He has a few good years left in him in my opinion and whether that’s two or 10 I don’t know and however many that is I would like to think he would be happy to be driving for us.
“And I think the discussions we have had he also understands enough that perhaps there will be a stage where perhaps he doesn’t want to do as much and then we would look at maybe endurance races and helping us with our young drivers.
“I just think he has a lot of positives for us.”
Tander will join James Moffat at the team, but what they will be driving in 2017 is unclear.
Volvo announced the withdrawal of its support in May, along with its intent to recall GRM’s S60 Supercars and engines to New Zealand, and the team and manufacturer are still involved in legal discussions.
2017 SUPERCARS GRID SO FAR
Triple Eight Holden: Shane van Gisbergen, Jamie Whincup, Craig Lowndes
Prodrive Ford: Mark Winterbottom, Chaz Mostert, Cameron Waters, Jason Bright
Walkinshaw Holden: James Courtney, Scott Pye
Garry Rogers Motorsport TBC: Garth Tander, James Moffat
DJR Team Penske Ford: Fabian Coulthard, Scott McLaughlin
Brad Jones Racing Holden: Nick Percat, Tim Slade, Tim Blanchard
Nissan Motorsport: Rick Kelly, Todd Kelly, Michael Caruso, Simona de Silvestro
Tekno Holden: Will Davison
Team 18 Holden: Lee Holdsworth
Erebus Holden: David Reynolds, Dale Wood
Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport Holden: TBC, TBC
