The best comeback drives of 2022 so far
Tim Slade, Nick Percat and Lee Holdsworth have been the comeback kings so far this season.
There have have 27 separate instances of a driver gaining 10 or more positions in a race in 2022.
Slade, Percat and Holdsworth are responsible for 12 of them.
The three veterans have each gained 10 or more spots on four occasions.
It’s a double-edged sword statistic; while it looks good to have made ground, it’s in part due to poor qualifying.
Percat (17.7), Slade (13.6) and Holdsworth (12.8) are among the worst qualifiers this season.
Of the three, only Holdsworth has secured a podium finish; that day, he raced from 15th to third, gaining a dozen spots.
Most recently, Percat gained 13 positions in his charge from 25th to 12th in the Townsville finale.
It's no surprise that Slade, Percat and Holdsworth have made more overtakes than any other driver this season.
Slade leads the way after seven rounds on 87, ahead of Percat (77) and Holdsworth (56).
The two biggest single gains in a race this season belong to championship leader Shane van Gisbergen.
Van Gisbergen gained a staggering 20 positions in the second race at Albert Park in April.
A qualifying disaster forced van Gisbergen to start 23rd, but he duly charged to the podium.
Earlier, he raced from 21st to sixth in Sydney in a race which featured an early off, with van Gisbergen going a lap down.
Van Gisbergen, James Courtney, Will Brown, Jake Kostecki and Garry Jacobson have all made 10 or more spots twice.
Albert Park hosted nine individual efforts of 10 or more positions gained in a race.
Second is Symmons Plains with seven, with Sydney on four.
The results sheet doesn't always tell the whole story, with some drivers dropping spots at the start before making a spirited comeback.
Notably, Will Davison finished seventh in the Townsville finale after being dead last on lap 1 after a clash with Scott Pye.
Can a driver beat van Gisbergen’s marker of 20 positions with a miracle drive at The Bend Motorsport Park?
Find out at the OTR SuperSprint on July 30-31. Purchase your tickets now.
10 or more positions gained in a race in 2022*
27 instances
4: Tim Slade, Nick Percat, Lee Holdsworth2: Shane van Gisbergen, James Courtney, Will Brown, Jake Kostecki, Garry Jacobson1: Chaz Mostert, Cam Waters, Jack Le Brocq, Todd Hazelwood, Scott Pye
9: Albert Park7: Tasmania4: Sydney3: Darwin2: Perth1: Winton, Townsville
20 positions: Shane van Gisbergen, AGP Race 6 (23rd to 3rd)15 positions: Shane van Gisbergen, SMSP Race 2 (21st to 6th)15 positions: Will Brown, SMSP Race 2 (23rd to 8th)15 positions: Garry Jacobson, AGP Race 7 (21st to 6th)14 positions: Garry Jacobson, AGP Race 8 (24th to 10th)14 positions: Tim Slade, SMSP Race 2 (24th to 10th)13 positions: Scott Pye, AGP Race 6 (24th to 11th)13 positions: Lee Holdsworth, Perth Race 10 (24th to 11th)13 positions: Nick Percat, Townsville Race 20 (25th to 12th)12 positions: Tim Slade, Tasmania Race 3 (23rd to 11th)12 positions: Lee Holdsworth, Tasmania Race 3 (21st to 9th)12 positions: Chaz Mostert, Tasmania Race 4 (16th to 4th)12 positions: Will Brown, Tasmania Race 4 (24th to 12th)12 positions: Lee Holdsworth, AGP Race 7 (15th to 3rd)12 positions: Tim Slade, AGP Race 7 (20th to 8th)12 positions: Jake Kostecki, AGP Race 7 (25th to 13th)12 positions: Nick Percat, Winton Race 15 (27th to 15th)12 positions: Tim Slade, Darwin Race 16 (24th to 12th)11 positions: Cam Waters, SMSP Race 1 (22nd to 11th)11 positions: Nick Percat, Tasmania Race 5 (21st to 10th)11 positions: Todd Hazelwood, AGP Race 9 (25th to 14th)11 positions: Lee Holdsworth, Darwin Race 16 (26th to 15th)10 positions: James Courtney, Tasmania Race 4 (18th to 8th)10 positions: Jake Kostecki, Tasmania Race 3 (24th to 14th)10 positions: Jack Le Brocq, AGP Race 8 (22nd to 12th)10 positions: Nick Percat, Perth Race 12 (25th to 15th)10 positions: James Courtney, Darwin Race 16 (19th to 9th)
*Correct to the NTI Townsville 500
