Percat holds off Mostert in tense Tasmania opener

Nick Percat has held off Chaz Mostert in a thrilling Saturday race at the NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint, with the championship closing up again at Symmons Plains.

A Matt Stone Racing pit stop masterclass delivered a second win of the season for Percat, who won the Grand Prix finale in March. Mostert, on an alternate strategy, powered from fifth to second.

Pole-sitter Broc Feeney came home in third, and with points leader Will Brown recovering to seventh from 16th, the championship picture changed once again in Mostert’s favour.

Heading into Sunday, Mostert is now 63 points behind, having been 279 points adrift after Darwin. Feeney, meanwhile, is 120 points back, having entered Saturday 153 points down.

Cam Waters and Brodie Kostecki rounded out the top five, with Cameron Hill, Brown, Tim Slade, David Reynolds and Bryce Fullwood rounding out the top 10.

"I don't think anyone can say we lucked into it with people spearing off, or anything," said Percat, who moved from ninth to sixth in the standings.

"The Bendix car has been on rails since we rolled out the truck. It is a pleasure to drive. I can't thank Matt [Stone], [engineer Jack] Belotti, everyone on my car [enough].

"The faith is there, and when you've got the faith you go well. The thing was a jet. Obviously Chaz was coming on his three tyres but I felt I could control the race."

Pole man Feeney held sway over Waters as the field scythed though the opening corners for the first time. It took until Turn 6 for a clash, with Matt Payne sent into a spin battling for last place with Will Davison.

At the front of the field, Kostecki lost two spots, with Percat and Mostert getting past into third and fourth. Feeney attempted to open up a gap as Waters tried to keep pace, with Percat watching on from third.

Brown fought past Aaron Love for 14th at the hairpin, leading to a melee that saw the CoolDrive Ford escorted onto the Turn 7 grass by Jaxon Evans. As he regathered, Love boxed Davison into the Turn 3 exit Armco barrier.

The biggest loser in the opening laps was Anton De Pasquale, who after starting eighth, plummeted down the field and was in 21st by the time all drivers stopped. However, he rediscovered pace and ultimately finished 13th.

Ryan Wood was first to stop from seventh on lap 17, with Tim Slade and Jack Le Brocq brought in on the following lap, and James Golding on lap 19. By that stage, Feeney's lead over Waters hovered at one second.

An interesting subplot began to emerge over Feeney, who was asked by the Triple Eight to monitor fuel usage. The leaders then began to hit traffic, with Richie Stanaway released in the path of Feeney on lap 23.

As Reynolds, Thomas Randle and James Courtney stopped on lap 23, Feeney hurried Stanaway along, with Waters drawing to the rear of the race leader. Feeney nearly hit Stanaway on lap 26, with Waters, Percat and Mostert all ranging in.

Tickford Racing brought Waters in as Feeney caught Stanaway and Le Brocq, who battled through Turn 6. Feeney and Mostert were brought in in response, with Mostert taking on three tyres as Feeney emerged ahead of Waters.

MSR brought Percat in to execute an overcut, and the 2011 Bathurst winner emerged ahead of Feeney and Waters after a fast stop. Feeney haunted the rear of the Bendix Camaro, but Percat quickly began to open up a margin as tyres came up.

The pit stop numbers were telling; Feeney and Waters were serviced with 4.7s and 5.8s stops, before MSR pulled off a 3.8s stop for Percat, which proved the race-winning edge.

All the while, Brown stopped for four tyres and dropped down the field, and after locking behind Courtney at Turn 4, set the fastest lap of the race after passing the Blanchard Mustang. He would finish seventh, 12.2s from the win.

Mostert, on an alternate strategy, cleared Waters for third at Turn 6 on lap 41, and set off after the leading Camaros. The four tyres were working for Brown, who was up to ninth by lap 43, albeit 15 seconds from the lead.

Mostert caught and rounded up Feeney at the final corner on lap 50, and the Ford star had a second to make up on Percat in four laps. It wasn’t enough, Percat hanging on by 0.6142s.

Supercars will return on Sunday with Practice 3 at 10:20am AEST, followed by Boost Mobile Qualifying at 12:50pm and Race 18 at 3:05pm.