Percat to reunite with iconic number

"I’ve dreamt of having my name next to the No. 2 from a very young age and now for it to be reality is amazing.”

Nick Percat understands the history that will be on his shoulders when he dons the #2 for Walkinshaw Andretti United in 2022.

It was confirmed Tuesday that WAU has secured the services of Percat for 2022 and beyond.

Percat and incumbent Chaz Mostert will form a formidable pairing next season, with WAU eyeing teams’ championship success.

The former will race with the #2 on the window, a number he famously won Bathurst with alongside Garth Tander in 2011.

The #2 has a very successful lineage in Australian touring car racing, with Mark Skaife helping the Holden Racing Team continue its success into the early 2000s.

Its glory days began as early as the 1970s, with Colin Bond Colin Bond winning the 1975 Australian Touring Car Championship with the number.

Allan Moffat used the #2 in 1976 as Bond shifted to the #1, but Bond claimed it back when he joined Moffat’s Ford squad in 1977.

That year, Bond helped Moffat to the famous one-two finish at Mount Panorama.

Bond in Bathurst in 1977 Pic: AN1 Images

Bond again ran the #2 in 1978, before it ended up in the hands of Steve Masterton.

Masterton ran the number until 1985, before it was picked up by Graeme Bailey. The #2 Chickadee Commodore VK was then driven to an iconic Bathurst win by Bailey and Allan Grice in 1986.

Grice used it in 1987 and 1988, but the #2 shifted to Gibson Motorsport and Jim Richards in 1989.

Richards won the number’s second title aboard his Nissan in 1990; teammate Skaife assumed the number in 1991 and for 1992, the year he won his first title.

Richards in 1990 Pic: AN1 Images

Gibson moved to V8 Commodores in 1993 and the #2 shifted to the Richards entry, with champion Skaife assuming the #1.

Glenn Seton won the 1993 crown and Skaife reclaimed the #2 for 1994, but promptly won the title and returned the number to Richards for 1995.

When the Gibson team lost cigarette sponsorship, Skaife ran the team’s only entry in 1996 with the #2 on the door.

Skaife moved to HRT in 1998, but the #2 remained with Gibson.

Skaife in 1994 Pic: AN1 Images

That year, the Gibson squad ran the #2 Konica-backed Young Lions entry for Steve Ellery.

Since 1999, the #2 has been the property of Walkinshaw Racing, with HRT cars taking home all sorts of success with the number between 1999 and 2016.

Skaife won 12 races - but failed to win the title - in 1999, but helped the #2 to its fifth and final crown in 2000.

With Skaife taking over the #1, teammates Jason Bright (2001-2002) and Todd Kelly (2003) used the #2.

Bathurst victory for Skaife and Kelly in 2005

Skaife took it back for 2004 after Marcos Ambrose won the 2003 crown, and used it until his full-time retirement in 2008.

He did, however, win the 2005 Bathurst 1000 with the #2 alongside Kelly, who won the Great Race on his birthday.

Save for when he used the #200 at Phillip Island in 2007, and the 2008 enduros where he teamed with Tander in #1, Skaife and the #2 were a constant on the grid.

Tander used the number with HRT between 2009 and 2016. With it, he won two Bathursts; in 2009 with Will Davison, and 2011 with Percat.

Tander wins the 2016 Sandown 500

Tander won the 2016 Sandown 500 with Warren Luff, and departed for Garry Rogers Motorsport.

Scott Pye joined the Walkinshaw squad in 2017 and took over the #2, and claimed the number’s most recent win at Albert Park in 2018.

Bryce Fullwood assumed the number in 2020 for his maiden full-time campaign, and claimed the #2’s most recent podium at The Bend Motorsport Park last September.

All up, the #2 has won five drivers' titles, its last in 2000.

Pye claimed the #2's last win in 2018

Will Percat return the #2 to its glory days when he returns to the Walkinshaw fold in 2022?

The 2021 Repco Supercars Championship will continue at this weekend’s Bunnings Trade Sydney SuperNight.

Tickets for all four upcoming Sydney events are on sale now.

All sessions will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and streamed via Kayo.

The Seven Network will broadcast live from 3:30pm AEDT on Saturday and 12:30pm AEDT on Sunday.