Supercars Tasmania: Percat beats Mostert, Feeney to win opener

Nick Percat has taken the win in the 17th race of the Supercars season at a chilly Symmons Plains Raceway.

Good driving and strong strategy put Percat at the top in cold and windy conditions in the first Supercars round in late-winter in Tasmania.

He had settled into third place in the early laps in his Matt Stone Racing Chevrolet Camaro, but stayed out a lap later than his main opposition and a swift pitstop saw him seize the lead from Broc Feeney (Triple Eight Chevrolet).

Percat held on to take the win by a narrow 0.61s from Chaz Mostert for his second success of the year and the sixth of his career.

“The car has been on rails since we rolled it out of the track,” smiled Percat, whose previous best result at the track was a seventh, five years ago.

“Chaz was coming on his three tyres but I felt like I had control of the race. If the race goes your way, you can win it, I tried to control the tyre a bit and I just managed the gap to Broc.

“I was surprised to see Chaz pit when he did, the undercut takes time to come in, I was determined to stay out.”

In second place after a charging drive, Mostert maintained his recent momentum in the Walkinshaw Andretti United Ford Mustang. He took three tyres to most of his opponents' two at his pitstop and had speed to burn in the closing laps, passing Feeney for second with five laps remaining.

“I was trying my hardest, I had to use the tyre a lot to make up the lap times,” said Mostert after his first Symmons podium.

“I am happy with that result, the racecar is a little aggressive on that side of it. It was good to see Nick get a win, I ran out of tyre and ran out of luck.”

Feeney, who qualified on pole position, had to settle for third after a strong opening half of the race.

“I got caught up with the guys who pitted early, but I had a fast car,” he said.

“He [Mostert] was pretty fast at the end and it was a great move under brakes.”

Cam Waters took fourth place in the Tickford Ford after starting on the front row, while in fifth it was a strong return to form by Brodie Kostecki, who qualified a season-best third and finished the race in fifth place in the Erebus Motorsport Chevrolet Camaro, after earlier contact with Mostert.

Cam Hill made it an even better weekend for Matt Stone Racing with sixth place, the same position from which he started, just ahead of Will Brown.

It was a tough day for the points leader, who started from 15th on the grid after a red flag interrupted his second qualifying lap. The Triple Eight Chevrolet driver made it through the early laps to make steady ground.

Qualifying was held in damp but drying conditions and caught out a number of fancied drivers. Matt Payne had to start from 23rd after a tough session in his Grove Racing Ford but even that was one spot ahead of Will Davison, who started 24th and last when he could not summon any speed from his Dick Johnson Racing Ford Mustang. Payne experienced contact with another car on the opening lap and went on to finish 19th, while Davison made it to 17th.

Brown saw the 105-point lead he brought to Tasmania reduced. He still leads on 1842 points but Mostert now has 1779 and Feeney 1722. Waters keeps fourth place on 1480 ahead of Payne (1377) and Percat (1272).

The Supercars will be back on the track at 10:20am on Sunday for a 20-minute practice session, before qualifying at 12:50pm and the 18th race of the season, over 55 laps, is due to start at 3:05pm, AEST.