Saturday Wrap: Underdogs shine, title race tightens again

A strategic masterstroke from Matt Stone Racing has propelled Nick Percat to a second victory for 2024 in the opener at the NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint.

Percat executed the perfect overcut after a rapid pit stop saw Percat leapfrog Broc Feeney and Cam Waters, before Percat held off former teammate Chaz Mostert in a nail-biter.

Mostert’s fifth consecutive podium now sees him close to within 63 points of championship leader Will Brown, gaining another 42 points in one race.

Whilst Feeney felt it was a missed opportunity for a win, he still gained ground in the points battle, moving from 153 points behind to 120 points behind.

Supercars.com looks at some of the key talking points from Saturday at the NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint.

MSR finally capitalise on Tassie pace

Nick Percat’s career resurgence this season added another chapter with a stunning victory today in Tasmania. For only the second time in his decade-long career as a full-time driver, he has claimed multiple victories in a season, the last coming with BJR in 2020. Although it was a strategic masterclass by Matt Stone Racing that saw Percat leapfrog Broc Feeney and Cam Waters in the pit cycle, this was by no means an upset victory. Percat qualified third, and got himself into the position to capitalise on any misfortune ahead. Whilst Percat took all the headlines, a word should also be said for teammate Cameron Hill, who qualified and finished sixth in his best showing since the season opener in Bathurst. With a history of great pace in Tasmania, MSR have finally brought home the result that qualifying speed deserves, and continue their remarkable season.

WAU’s Super Soft struggles disappear

For many this was the key talking point heading into the weekend. Despite Chaz Mostert’s supreme form over the past two rounds, if WAU couldn’t perform on the Super Soft tyre, then Mostert’s title chances were perhaps dashed. Whilst Friday didn’t provide a conclusive answer on whether their Super Soft form had improved since a dismal Darwin, today was much different. Qualifying saw both cars make the top 10, with Mostert fifth and Ryan Wood an impressive seventh on his first visit to Symmons Plains, but the race was a much more emphatic display from Mostert in particular. Employing an aggressive three tyre strategy, Mostert scythed his way through in the final stint, eventually finishing second to claw back another 42 points on Will Brown in the points lead. Whilst it may leave their tyre bank slightly more vulnerable for Sunday, Mostert and WAU have answered their critics, and are now right in the title battle.

Are Brown’s second half woes striking again?

Whilst seventh isn’t the end of the world for Will Brown, memories of 12 months ago might be rattling around in the back of the championship leader’s mind. Brown was only 41 points behind then teammate Brodie Kostecki entering the final sprint event of the season at Tailem Bend last year, before a nightmare weekend unfolded. A crash at the first corner on Saturday, followed by back-to-back 13ths proved disastrous as Kostecki swept all three races that weekend. Brown dropped to fourth in the standings and was 258 points back after that weekend, and his title charge never recovered. Whilst he hasn’t had a disastrous weekend of that magnitude this season, though his first lap collision with David Reynolds at Townsville was a major scare, Brown keeps haemorrhaging points to Mostert. With 600 points up for grabs across the next two events at Sandown and Bathurst, Brown has to stop the slide, and in a hurry.

Tough days for Grove, DJR

After being some of the fastest cars in Sydney, Tasmania has brought Grove Racing and Dick Johnson Racing back to earth with a thud. After claiming the Sunday pole in Sydney, Will Davison qualified last today having completely missed the setup window. It wasn’t much better for Matt Payne, who went from challenging for wins in Sydney to joining Davison on the back row in Tasmania. Payne’s teammate Richie Stanaway set the fastest time in this morning’s wet practice session, he could only muster 17th on the grid. Anton De Pasquale managed to qualify eighth, but plummeted backwards in the opening stint of the race, with the #11 Shell V-Power Mustang finishing 13th, two spots ahead of Davison who recovered well. Stanaway and Payne were the next two cars behind Davison in 16th and 17th. Both teams expect to be up towards the pointy end, and will no doubt be thinking long and hard into the night to get back towards the front.

A title battle for the ages continues to brew

Mostert’s run of five consecutive podiums, including a Sydney sweep last time out, has brought the title race to life. After being as far back as 279 points off the pace after his difficult Darwin weekend, Mostert has now closed to within 63 points of Brown, a remarkable 216 point swing in the past five races. Whilst Broc Feeney slipped to 3rd last time out in Sydney, he is by no means out of the equation either, now just 120 points behind his teammate. Next best is Cam Waters, but at 362 points off the pace probably now needs a strong enduro season, combined with problems for Brown, Mostert, or Feeney. Enduro season could make or break this championship battle, with all three title combatants welcoming A-grade co-drivers. Brown has new Triple Eight recruit Scott Pye, Mostert rekindles his successful partnership with Lee Holdsworth, and Feeney welcomes back Jamie Whincup. All indications seem to suggest that for the second straight season, we are set for a championship battle on the streets of Adelaide.