NICK PERCAT TOPS WINTON PRACTICE

Nick Percat fastest in Winton practice – Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

Nick Percat has set the fastest time in Practice for this weekend’s Supercar races at Winton Raceway.

After Scott McLaughlin has topped the first Practice session in his Shell V-Power Ford, Percat stepped up in the final minute of the second, drying session to record a lap of 1:28.105s, fastest by a full second. Percat was one of the drivers who took to the track on slick tyres in the final six minutes, after most of the 40-minute session was completed on a soaking track.

“Obviously crazy conditions for everyone today,” said Percat.

“It’s good for car #8, and everyone at BJR needs a bit of a boost. It’s good to show the form that we hoped to show in pre-season.”

Mark Winterbottom one of many who struggled in the wet – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

Percat ran out of fuel after the session and had to be towed back to the pits.

Percat said he was pleased to be in the top five for most of the wet running, and added that “a BJR car is pretty handy around here”.

Percat’s time was nearly 5s quicker than the fastest time on wet tyres, which was a 1:32.8s set earlier in the sessions by McLaughlin, who was second fastest in the session ahead of David Reynolds.

“The car was amazing in the wet, if it does rain, we are in good stead tomorrow,” he said.
Reynolds described the day as “a bit of a waste of time”, and admitted to going off the newly-resurfaced track five times during the rain.

“We are trying to beat the DJR guys and the Triple Eight blokes, we’re like everyone else.”
Fabian Coulthard was fourth fastest ahead of Cam Waters and James Courtney.

James Golding was fastest of the Wildcards – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

Fastest of the three Wildcard drivers entered was James Golding. The GRM Commodore driver was 21st fastest, immediately behind teammate James Moffat.

There were two red flags during the session, both for BJR cars. Macauley Jones beached his car at Turn 8, while teammate Tim Blanchard parked his Cooldrive Commodore with 11 minutes remaining.

Scott McLaughlin was fastest at the end of Practice 1 – Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

McLaughlin topped the earlier session, which was wet throughout, by an impressive 0.3s from Todd Kelly and Cam Waters, in a session that featured a number of cars leaving the circuit at some stage.

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