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PERCAT IS WHITE HOT IN SUNNY TASMANIA |
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Monday, 19 November 2007 |
With the long break between Sandown and Symmons Plains behind him, Nick and the team from BRM made the journey to beautiful Tasmania for Round 7 of the 2007 Formula Ford Championship. Nick arrived early on Wednesday to get a good look at the high speed Symmons Plains circuit, as this was one of the circuits that he had not raced at previously.
PRACTICE 1 & 2
Both Practice sessions went smoothly for both Nick and the team, with both sessions netting him the 5th fastest time, and showing how competitive it would be over the weekend with only 3 tenths separating the first half dozen drivers!
QUALIFYING
With Nick looking to the front row as a possible starting position, it nearly all came to nothing when on his first flying lap another competitor suddenly slowed at the high speed back straight, with Nick having to take avoiding action to the grass and then gravel trap to prevent a big impact.
It was looking highly likely that he would sit out the rest of the session, with the car beached at the back of the gravel trap, and not going anywhere without outside assistance. Fortunately for him, the session was red flagged, and once towed clear was able to restart the session.
Showing the speed from Practice 1 & 2, Nick set the 4th fastest time on his first flying lap. “I was happy with my speed, however the trip over the gravel wasn’t ideal” commented Nick after returning to the garage with the 6th fastest time and starting from the 3rd row of the grid.
RACE 1
Overcast conditions greeted the field for race 1, with Percat well placed in the leading group off the start of the 15 lap race. Having made a clean getaway, Nick set about passing the cars in front, with the all six in close formation.
By lap 3, Percat had the car underneath him to challenge the cars in front, making passes on Blake Varney and Tim Blanchard in quick succession. With Tim and Nick battling it out to the final lap in what was now a damp track, Blanchard held on to stay in front of Percat. However in the very last corner, Walsh and Scott spun leaving Lindblom to take the win with Blanchard second and Percat third.
RACE 2
Sunday’s early morning race was held in cool conditions, with Percat starting on the 2nd row of the grid. Nick got a clean start, following Lindblom and Blanchard down to the hairpin for the first time. By lap 6 a gap to the front pair had opened up with Percat running his own race in 3rd but with increasing pace coming from his BRM prepared RF06 he set about closing the gap.
On lap 14 Percat set the Formula Ford lap record with a stunning 55.7946 seconds nearly 2 tenths faster than the previous bench mark.
Percat crossed the line only 2 tenths behind Blanchard and Lindblom, with the gap back to 4th over 5 seconds.
“I was really pleased with my pace in that race! I just had a really good rhythm going, and was able to go faster as the race progressed” said a happy Percat after the race.
RACE 3
The final race for round 7 was always going to be one to watch, with Percat once again starting from row 2, courtesy of his strong finish in the second race.
After his best start the weekend, Percat was in a strong position in 3rd heading down to the famous hairpin at symmons plains when Glen Wood in the Sonic Mygale had a slight touch with Percat in the breaking area ending the Sonic driver’s race in spectacular fashion. “ I felt the bump and then saw Glen a few feet in the air past my left side and thought that my race would be over with the damage that normally comes with that kind of hit” said a surprised Percat. “However I looked out my mirror and side and everything seemed to still be there so I pressed on!”
After the chaos at turn 3, the safety car was deployed, and racing resumed after 3 laps with a tight group of cars in the top 5 breaking away from the pack.
By lap 6 Nick had passed Blanchard for 2nd place, and was on the hunt for 1st, with the lead changing a multiple of times over the coming laps in a thrilling three way dice between now Percat, Lindblom, and Walsh.
Percat held on to lead the final laps, winning his first National Formula Ford race with the top 5 covered by less than a second!!!
“What a finish! A great result for all the guys, and to get second for the round is one more step up the podium than at Sandown…. Phillip Island can’t come fast enough!” said a delighted Percat on receiving his Trophy.
Nick Percat will be back in action for Round 8 at Phillip Island over the weekend of the 30th Nov – 2nd Dec.
Sponsorship opportunities still exist with this star of the future for the 2008 season, see the website for details.
For all the latest be sure to visit www.nickpercat.com
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