Perkins has spent recent days undergoing a crash course in the art of NASCAR with the Joe Gibbs Racing team, including simulator running and pit stop practice.
Testing restrictions mean his first laps in the #19 Toyota Supra won’t come until Saturday’s single practice session in Chicago, which takes place just prior to qualifying.
“I just want to minimise the risks. The last thing I want to do [is damage the car],” Perkins told Speedcafe ahead of the weekend.
“My car chief pointed to the back-up car in the workshop and said, ‘that one’s not a very good one, we don’t need to use that’.
“I took that as ‘don’t scratch this new one’. It’s a brand new car in circulation.”
While tackling a new car, circuit and series is a tall ask for Perkins, the strength of the JGR crew and equipment will work in his favour.
Perkins is undertaking a two-race Xfinity campaign that will also include Portland in August, effectively instead of racing Super2 rounds this year in the lead-up to the Supercars enduros.
“The best thing for me is the Joe Gibbs Racing team and car are just so sorted that you don’t have to consider the performance as a variable,” Perkins explained.
“Quite often you do a one-off race whether it’s Super2 or whatever and you have a question about your equipment or your team or the car speed or reliability, whatever it might be.
“But in this deal, Gibbs are one of the top two teams, between Gibbs and JR Motorsports, so I think there are expectations to perform.
“I just want to sneak up on it in practice and try and learn the car as quick as I can without making any mistakes.
“If I can keep the car clean, especially at the start of the race, and be there at the end, I think we could easily be well inside the top 10.
“We’ll see how we go, but it is hard to just jump on the pace straight away. I’d love two practice sessions but I only get one. I’ll know how I’m tracking after that.”
The JR Motorsports line-up will feature triple Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen, whose first start for the team also marks his maiden Xfinity appearance this season.
Perkins says he’s been studying van Gisbergen’s onboard from Chicago last year, where the Kiwi beat the Ty Gibbs-driven #19 JGR entry to victory in the Xfinity race.
He’s not expecting any help from van Gisbergen this weekend, however.
“I got a little bit out of him [while preparing for] Portland, but we’re racing each other in Chicago so I respect he’s got his own stuff to worry about,” said Perkins.
“I’ve been watching his onboard footage from last year’s race.
“He’s the benchmark, as we all know, so if I can get anywhere near him or see his car on the race track, I think I’ll be having a pretty good day.”
Perkins’ time in Charlotte this week included venturing out to the city’s speedway, where van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin were racing Legend cars.
Click here for the Chicago Xfinity session times and how to watch the race in Australia.
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