Nick Percat has surprised the Supercars paddock by announcing he will retire at the end of the 2025 campaign.
The 37-year-old will make his last start as a full-time Supercars driver at the Adelaide 500 on 27-30 November, driving his Matt Stone Racing Chevrolet Camaro.
Percat has won six championship races since making his Supercars debut in 2010, winning for the Holden Racing Team, Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport, Brad Jones Racing and MSR.
He rose to prominence as a co-driver with HRT, partnering Garth Tander to victory at the 2011 Bathurst 1000, becoming only the second driver to win the race on debut. This weekend’s Bathurst 1000 will be Percat’s 15th start in the event and his last as a primary driver.
“It was definitely not an easy decision because I’m still very competitive. I feel like I’m driving well and have got trophies this year,” said Percat, who has scored three podiums this season.
“So it has been quite a lengthy decision, but on the flipside, when one door closes, another opens.
“There was probably an opportunity to stay on the grid but it’s about making sure you put yourself in the right place at the right time, so for me, now was a good time.”
Percat says his focus will now be on his JND Kart business and, in all probability, as a Supercars endurance co-driver, a role for which he will be in high demand.
He rates his Bathurst win and his 2016 Adelaide 500 victory as the highlights of his career, the latter coming not just in his home state but while driving for the Dumbrell team, the smallest on the Supercars grid, and through a torrential downpour.
“In those conditions - just to not crash the thing because we couldn’t see, let alone to win the race at your home event was amazing,” he said. “Bathurst 2011 with Garth and HRT is something I’ll never forget and every time it comes on, I actually get goosebumps.”
In the meantime, Percat will make his 15th Bathurst start this weekend, with Tim Slade as co-driver for MSR.
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