V8 Supercars full-timer Jack Perkins had his first taste of a Group A-era Perkins Engineering Commodore today at Wakefield Park.
The son of six-time Bathurst 1000 winner and Perkins Engineering founder Larry drove the recently restored PE 015 chassis owned by collector Dave Gardner.
The car was built as a VN for Alf Barbagallo, winning Western Australia’s flagship Wanneroo 300 with Larry Perkins as co-driver for three years running from 1992.
Subsequently updated to VP and then VR/VS V8 Supercar specification and driven by the likes of Nathan Pretty, the car was purchased from Ben Eggleston by Gardner four years ago.
Perkins and his father produce parts and provide support for several owners of the 49 Perkins Engineering chassis that were built over the years, including Gardner’s.
“Dave has been restoring this car over the last four years and he’d been saying all along that he’d like me to drive it,” Perkins told Speedcafe.com.
“It’s actually the first car of that vintage that I’ve ever driven and I was pleasantly surprised.
“I thought it’d feel older and harder to drive, but it was excellent. I’ve got a smile from ear-to-ear.
“It’s the first time I’ve driven a Perkins Holden engine with a slide manifold as well.
“We restricted it to 7,500rpm though, we’ll save the 9,000rpm Larry Perkins quali spec for a race meeting!
“It had a five-speed Hollinger in it, not a six-speed, so you had to tell yourself that second was up the top and third was down the bottom, which was tricky.
“But it was just good fun. It reminds you why you enjoy racing cars.”
Perkins says he could also race PE 015 in future as part of the booming Heritage Touring Car class for genuine Group A and C machinery.
The 28-year-old is meanwhile looking forward to the V8 Supercars endurance races as he hopes to turn around a torrid year in Charlie Schwerkolt’s Ford Performance Racing-run Jeld-Wen Ford.
Perkins sits 23rd in points heading into the Pirtek Enduro Cup, where he’ll team with Dunlop Series front-runner Cameron Waters.
“They’ve been my bread and butter in the last couple of years and helped me get the gig that I’ve got this year,” said Perkins of the endurance events.
“It’ll be good to team up with Cam, shift our focus away from what’s been a disappointing year and salvage something from the season.”
Schwerkolt himself got behind the wheel of the #18 Falcon during Monday’s ride day at Sydney Motorsport Park, with Perkins in the passenger seat.
“Charlie has been involved in the sport for 20 or 30 years and has owned heaps of cars and it was the first time he’s ever driven one,” explained Perkins.
“He wanted me to be in the passenger seat to show him how it’s done.
“He didn’t do anything silly and at the end of the day he owns the car and has been long overdue having a drive.
“We’ll lock him into the next day to do more laps so he can get some more confidence and then he and Rusty French can have a shootout!”
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