Jack Perkins is optimistic that he can raise the funds to complete the 2013 Dunlop Series season after scoring a win on his return to the class at Barbagallo.
The 26-year-old stepped into Eggleston Motor Sport’s recently acquired second ex-Tekno Autosports Triple Eight Holden for Round 2 in what was initially a one-off deal.
Qualifying just 11th after a red flag-hit session, Perkins was able to do enough in the opening encounter to guarantee a front-row start for the top 10 reverse grid Race 2.
He promptly led the second race from lights to flag; becoming the first Holden driver to win a race in the class this season.
Seventh in the final left Perkins seventh overall for the weekend and hopeful of using the two-month break prior to the next round in Townsville to secure the backing to continue.
“I hadn’t driven a V8 Supercar since Bathurst (2012) so it was just great to get back in the car,” Perkins told Speedcafe.com of his weekend.
“We had a couple of little issues on Friday which set us back and we probably didn’t have the speed to be top two or three, but the reverse grid system worked in my favour.
“The result certainly won’t hurt our efforts to find the funds to continue; it’s always harder to sell something that’s on a bit of paper,” he added.
“It’s always good to pick up a win and get plenty of TV time, and we’re working hard to put enough together to get to finish the year off.”
Perkins has floated in and out of the second-tier series since 2006, and says the field is currently more competitive than ever.
“The quality of the machinery this year is what has made the category much more competitive,” he said.
“You’ve basically got every car that was in the (main) championship last year involved and you’ve got a lot of fast Fords out there in particular. Hopefully we can keep flying the Holden flag through the season.”
The Dunlop Series has enjoyed significant attention this year thanks to the presence of Casey Stoner and, while some have criticised the fact that so much of the media focus has been on the former MotoGP champion, Perkins believes that Stoner’s presence benefits everyone.
“It’s raised the level of the Dunlop Series much like the star drivers do for the Nationwide Series in America,” he said.
“All of our races were live on 7mate last weekend. That’s fantastic for all the competitors, not just for Casey and his sponsors.
“If anyone thinks that Casey being there is not a good thing they need to open their eyes because it’s beneficial to the whole business.”
