Price out Perkins in
Jack Perkins will take over the #11 Jack Daniel’s Racing Commodore for the rest of the 2008 V8 Supercar Championship Series.
Team owner Larry Perkins confirmed that starting from this weekend’s round at Surfers Paradise, his 22-year-old son Jack would the Commodore drive instead of 21-year-old Shane Price.
“Shane had been going through, I suppose, a slump in form,” he said.
“He had been doing some great qualifying results, but hasn’t been able to turn that into good finishes so I want to have a bit of a change around.”
Jack, who finished eighth at both the L&H 500 at Phillip Island and the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 with Nathan Pretty, is also fifth on the Fujitsu Series points table.
“Jack’s earned his spot by performing in the last few races and his good job in the Fujitsu Series,” Perkins said. “I’m just trying to get more results for my team.
“Shane’s tried really hard this year and done some great qualifying results, but he hasn’t turned that into race results. He will one day, but he just hasn’t at this stage.”
Price, who debuted in V8 Supercars with the team in 2006, said he was told last week of the news.
“I’ve got nothing to do with Perkins (Engineering) anymore, but it ended well and Larry’s given me some opportunities in the past,” he said.
“He’s chosen to give Jack a go now and I don’t know what more I can really say. All I can do it look at the positives and try to salvage something out of it and get another drive for next year.”
Price said it was an amicable split.
“Larry’s done good by me and I’ve got nothing bad to say.”
Price said he was already in talks with teams about getting a drive for 2009.
“I’m not going to disappear off the face of the earth; I will do everything in my power to get a drive,” he said.
Perkins said Todd Kelly, who drives the #7 Jack Daniel’s Racing Commodore, is safe for the rest of 2008.
“There’s no doubt over Todd’s future,” he said. “Todd fits into our team extremely well and in Todd’s opinion he has a lot of unfinished business and will be doing everything he possibly can to get us on the podium at the next four rounds.
“I have never had any doubt he tries 100 per cent.”
