Dumbrell to Toll, Pender promoted.

By Matthew Agius

Paul Dumbrell has been confirmed as Garth Tander's replacement at the Toll HSV Dealer Team, following the squad's 2007 champion announcing his move to the sister Holden Racing Team this morning.

Dumbrell has been a constant in Holden's V8 Supercar driver lineups, having driven for Perkins Engineering from 2003 til 2006, and at the defunct Supercheap Auto Racing during the 2007 championship series.

The twenty-five year old won the 2002 Konica V8 Supercar Series, and has driven in the main level of Australian touring car racing ever since.

After left searching for a job as a result of Supercheap Auto Racing's closure, Dumbrell was thrilled to be stepping into a seat at the reigning champions of the series.

"This team has proved over the past two years that it is second to none, winning both the Drivers and Teams Championships back to back," said Dumbrell.

"It is the opportunity I have been waiting for, and I didn't have to think twice about it."

He joins 2006 V8 Supercar Champion, Rick Kelly, who is likely to regain his number-one driver status in the team, given Tander's departure.

"Garth slotted straight into the team when he arrived three years ago, and formed a formidable combination with Rick (Kelly) and the engineers and crew," said team owner, John Kelly.

"Now that he has ticked the box of the Drivers Championship, we understand why he now wants to take this new opportunity. He goes with our best wishes.

In addition to Tander's move, team manager Rob Crawford and race engineer Matthew Nilsson have both joined him at the Holden Racing Team - three significant gains for the flagship Holden outfit, but conversely, three heavy losses for the Toll HSV operation.

With Crawford's departure after seven years at the squad (under various guises including Kmart Racing and the HSV Dealer Team), Rick Kelly's race engineer, Erik Pender, will step into the role of Team Manager.

"Rob built the team virtually from scratch, taking it from an off-shoot of the Holden Racing Team into the best team in pit lane," he said.

"Erik has been his understudy for many years, and we are confident he will have no trouble making the transition."

The team also confirmed that Paul Radisich will continue in his role as a team endurance and support driver.

Rick Kelly and Paul Dumbrell will begin their respective 2008 championship campaigns at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide from February 21-24.