{"id":146805,"date":"2025-09-16T06:55:15","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T06:55:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/146805\/"},"modified":"2025-09-16T06:55:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T06:55:15","slug":"percats-praise-for-slade-amid-big-finals-bid-boost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/146805\/","title":{"rendered":"Percat\u2019s praise for Slade amid big finals bid boost"},"content":{"rendered":"

NICK Percat has heaped praise on Tim Slade<\/a> after the pair\u2019s rock-solid Bend 500 propelled the #10 Chevrolet driver back into finals contention.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no denying the past few months had been tricky as Matt Stone Racing\u2019s form across the board faded and unexpectedly Percat\u2019s future has become clouded despite him having another two years to run on his contract.<\/p>\n

None of that could stop the all-South Australian line-up of Percat\/Slade placing fifth in the Ryco Enduro Cup opener.<\/p>\n

They finished second among the Chevrolet contingent, only behind Triple Eight\u2019s Will Brown<\/a>\/Scott Pye<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s good. Obviously you want to be winning and on the podium, but a solid weekend for the whole team really with Cam (Hill) putting in a big lap in the Shootout, both qualified well, co-drivers did a good job,\u201d Percat, who turned 37 on Sunday, told V8 Sleuth.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou always want trophies but it\u2019s what I expect when I have someone like Sladey in the car with me.<\/p>\n

\"\"Pic: Mark Walker<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re only looking to be in that top five because he\u2019s up there with the Tanders and the Whincups, so I knew if we just did a solid job and executed, we\u2019d be there or thereabouts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe probably didn\u2019t quite have the pace late in the run but I kind of knew we didn\u2019t have track position to get to the podium, so I thought fifth is a solid result, so we consolidated in the back half of the race.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow we reset and go to Bathurst. The good thing for the boys is the car is straight, there wasn\u2019t a mark on it all weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Slade retired as a full-timer at the end of last season, he was quickly highlighted as a golden solution to Car #10\u2019s enduro hiccups experienced in 2024.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why it\u2019s important for teams to employ really good co-drivers,\u201d said Percat, who had been teammates with Slade at Walkinshaw Racing (2014) and Brad Jones Racing (2017-19).<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving someone like Sladey in the garage bouncing ideas off makes it super easy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI reckon every Christmas I message Garth (Tander) or someone like \u2018what do we have to do?\u2019 because you need that kind of calibre of driver in your corner, so it\u2019s good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Nick Percat<\/a>. Pic: Ross Gibb<\/p>\n

So, the f-word: finals.<\/p>\n

Percat had been 13th and 179 points below the cut line prior to The Bend 500.<\/p>\n

Now he is 12th and just 37 points away entering the last \u2018regular season\u2019 round, being Bathurst.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe always said if we were within 100 points of the top 10 come the enduros, we were a big shot to end up in there,\u201d said Percat.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe go to Bathurst with confidence: the cars were quick there at both events last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we just need another solid day, don\u2019t need to do anything crazy; if you\u2019re in a position to win it obviously you go for it, but other than that, just another solid weekend with no mistakes and maximise what we have.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we end up in the 10, we end up in the 10.\u201d<\/p>\n

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