Nick Percat had a problematic Sandown round
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By Nickpercat.com 2:29 PM Wed 24 November, 2010
Source: V8 Supercars Australia
It has been a 6 week gap between the last round at Bathurst where Nick Percat raced for the first time in the #222 Bundaberg Red VE Commodore and this weekend.
However he has had another chassis change, this time jumping into the ex Will Davison HRT car.
“The car I raced at Bathurst was Fabian’s car from earlier in the year, and he now has that back, so I am using this car this weekend. They are pretty close, but there are some differences between them, so I will have to learn the idiosyncrasies and get the most out of it” Said Percat prior to practice.
Practice didn’t go as planned for Percat, with an electrical fault causing havoc with a whole range of systems in the car in the first session, and then a brake issue in the second.
“Yeah both 40 minute sessions today have really come to zero for us, not only is there very little grip out there, we struggled with a huge number of technical problems, so I hope we can resolve them before qualifying, and make the most of it”
Qualifying for race 1 held in good conditions early on Saturday morning, saw Percat drag the car up to a commendable 5th position on the grid.
“We really ran that session a bit like half a practice session, and then only on the second set of tyres did we get a handle on it so to come out with that lap time shows some promise”
Sadly having thought the problematic Friday was behind them, Race 1 came to zero for Percat when the car coughed to a halt exiting turn 4 with an ignition system failure.
“Not much to say really, we were going good in 5th until the engine stopped, so very disappointing to drop so many points in the championship fight”
Race 2 was the usual reverse grid top 10 however Percat was starting at the back due to the DNF in race 1. Demonstrating the speed and commitment in traffic that we have come to expect from the 2009 Formula Ford champion, Percat powered his way through the grid to be 9th in under 7 laps.
However it was all to come unstuck when a back marker turned Percat around, causing another DNF.
“Well I am sure the stewards will be having a word to that guy, but that is what you end up having to deal with when you come through the field like we did today, we just will have to try again in race 3!”
Try Percat did! Race 3 was an all or nothing affair with his points tally for the weekend an incredulous zero! He put it all on the line and charged through from the rear of grid once more, this time passing even more cars in record time.
By lap 3 he was 10th, and was hauling in the leaders as the laps ticked down, catching and cleanly passing every car he came up behind in a classic rear of grid drive.
“That was a good race, I was able to clear a lot of the traffic early on, and my progress was only muted when I took on some damage to the steering with about 6 laps to go. So to finish 7th was a good result race wise, but championship wise we took a massive hit this weekend which is a shame considering I feel I drove pretty well” Said a slightly disappointed Percat on returning to the garage.
Nick Percat will line up for the final round in 2010 over the weekend of the 3rd – 5th December at Homebush Park.
Stay tuned for all the latest via www.nickpercat.com and be looking out for the TV coverage from Round 6 this weekend on Network 7.
