By Matthew Agius

Paul Dumbrell has been confirmed as Garth Tander's r𝔉eplacement 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 Enginꦫeering 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 racinܫg ever si🐽nce.

After left searching for a job as a re𓂃sult 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 p🐼ast 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 wait𒐪ing ꦑfor, and I didn't have to think twice about it."

He joins 2006 V8 Supercar Cham🔴pion, 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 t🥂hree years ago, and formed a formidable combination with Rick (Kelly) and the engineers and crew," said team owne𓄧r, John Kelly.

"Now that he has ticked the box o♛f 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 Cr𝕴awford and race engineer Matthew Nilsson have both joined him at the Holden Racing Team - three significant gains for the flagship Holden outfit, but co﷽nversely, 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 Dea🧸ler 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 a🗹n 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 hꦗe will have no trouble making the transition."

The team also confirmed t𝔍hat 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 th🍰e Clipsal 500 Adelaide from February 21-24.