GRM unveils Tander, Moffat retro liveries for Sandown

The Melbourne-based squad has opted for two different sources of inspiration for its pair of liveries, with the Garth Tander/James Golding car a throwback to Tander’s early days with the team, and the James Moffat/Richard Muscat car playing on a livery made famous by Moffat’s father Allan.

For the Tander/Golding car, the livery is based on the #134 Commodore that Tander raced for the first time at Phillip Island during the 1998 Australian Touring Car Championship season. Tander had been drafted into the GRM squad as a replacement for England-bound Steve Richards, the Phillip Island round kickstarting and uninterrupted full-time ATCC/Supercars career that continues to this day.

The livery has even more significance given that 2017 has been a homecoming for Tander, the reigning Sandown 500 winner joining the privateer squad after being ousted from the former Holden Racing Team squad a year ago.

“Garth’s career with GRM began at the Phillip Island round of 1998 as Steve Richards left following an opportunity with Nissan in England,” said Rogers.

“Garth rang me and said he heard we needed a driver and believed he was the man. We tested Garth on the Tuesday the week of the PI round and the rest is history.

“It's amazing how quickly the years go and I am very, very proud of the things that we have done over the years and to see Garth in the livery that he first raced with GRM will be special.”

The Moffat/Muscat car doesn’t celebrate GRM’s history, but the history of one of the sport’s biggest names – Allan Moffat. Famous for his associations with Ford and Mazda, Moffat Senior also raced Holdens, including campaigning a Rothmans-backed Commodore in the 1987 World Touring Car Championship.

And it’s that car that the livery for son James’ car has been based on for this weekend.

“In my opinion the livery for the #34 is the best I have seen,” added Rogers.

“I would love to claim the credit for the idea, but all the credit must go to James.

“‘Moff’ came and saw me and said it was 30 years this year that his dad raced the Rothmans VL Commodore at Spa and asked if it was possible to recreate that car.

“Of course Allan is best known for his exploits in a Ford and the Mazda RX-7, but there was that time when he raced a Holden and to recreate a car that Australia took to the world is fantastic.

“I’m sure James will be very proud racing it.”