WAU's nod to Percat's Holden family ties
A key part of Walkinshaw Andretti United’s tribute to Holden is the Percat family.
WAU will campaign a special livery in Adelaide as a homage to Holden.
The iconic Australian brand forms a crucial part of the lives of Nick Percat and his family.
Three generations of Percat worked at either the Woodville and Elizabeth Holden plants.
Percat's father Marc, grandfather Italo and great grandfather Paolo were all loyal Holden employees.
Nick later cemented his family’s Holden legacy with his 2011 Bathurst 1000 victory for the Holden Racing Team.
WAU brought together Percat, his father and grandfather for WAU’s livery shoot at the former Elizabeth plant.
The trio posed alongside Nick’s car, complete with HRT’s famous #2.
For Percat, a proud South Australian, Adelaide is the best possible site for Holden’s last race.
"Ending the season in Adelaide is the perfect way to send off the Holden brand," Percat told Supercars.com.
"The track is roughly 15 kilometres away from the old plant.
"My dad, grandfather and great grandfather all worked for Holden.
"Driving a Holden for the very last time will be strange.
"I’m looking forward to hopefully finishing off well with the brand.
Bathurst victory in 2011
“It’s especially important for our team to get a good result.
“Everyone aligns the Holden brand with HRT and the Walkinshaw family.
"Hopefully, Chaz [Mostert] and I, along with the team, can send off Holden well."
WAU Team Principal Bruce Stewart said the people like Percat family "were the lifeblood of Holden”.
“This team has had such a long a storied history with Holden, we bled red, our fans bled red,” Stewart said.
“For the final roar, it’s only fitting we reflect back on the journey we’ve had and thank everyone involved.
“From the fans who have supported us through thick and thin, the thousands of people who contributed to Holden over its journey, and everyone here who has been a part of our team.
"It finishing in Adelaide is also fitting, with so many people contributing to the Holden legacy just down the road at the Elizabeth plant, the place Nick’s father, grandfather and great grandfather worked as well – these people were the lifeblood of Holden."
From 2023, Percat will race Ford Mustangs — a change the driver himself joked might prove a sore point for his family.
“I’m sure Dad will be a bit upset by it,” Percat joked about his loomingNick Percat Ford move.
“My family might be a bit short with me at Christmas!
“I am excited to drive out of pit lane in Newcastle in a Ford for the first time.
“Especially because of how the team’s doing it — it’s not like we’re just stepping into a car.
“It’s a factory-backed effort, which is really cool for our team.”
The 2022 Repco Supercars Championship will conclude on the Adelaide streets on December 1-4.
