Tim Slade experienced one of the most terrifying moments of his racing career during his opening stint in a rain-soaked Supercars race. The South Australian started from sixth in Kai Allen's Penrite Ford Mustang but surged into the lead after a chaotic Turn 1.
Slade built a lead of up to 17 seconds over his rivals. However, as the track got wetter, he spun at Turn 1 and lost most of his advantage. He managed to hold on to the top spot, but another off-track excursion in the second stint handed the lead to Fabian Coulthard. Slade regained the position when the Walkinshaw Toyota driver pitted.
The drama peaked on a subsequent Safety Car restart. Slade nearly lost control of his car on the main straight, suffering a massive aquaplaning moment that cost him three places and almost ended in a heavy crash.
“I almost wrote the car off twice down the front straight, just aquaplaning. That was so scary,” Slade said after handing over to Allen. “I went off twice at Turn 1, just completely out of control, the thing just goesg it’s like it’s on ice. Two-thirds of the way down the straight you just touch the brake pedal and it does not slow. I did that twice and that was on the restart, and then the next lap after that was crazy. The car was obviously amazing at the start in those conditions, probably weren’t quite as strong when it was super wet.”
Chaz Mostert's co-driver Coulthard also shone in the wet, describing his stints as “a lot of fun”. “To be able to drive that car in those conditions, the guys have done a great job,” he said. “We had a car setup for the dry and then obviously the heavens opened and it’s a wet track. For the car to be adaptable the way it is, it was nice to drive and a lot of fun.”
The incident highlighted the extreme difficulty of controlling a Supercar in wet conditions. Aquaplaning on the main straight is a nightmare for any driver, especially during a restart when cars are bunched up and speeds are high. It also underscored the importance of strategy and quick adaptation in wet races, where any mistake can be costly.
With this result, Kai Allen and Tim Slade had to settle for a less-than-ideal finish after earlier domination. Nevertheless, Slade's performance showcased his class as a driver capable of competing in the toughest conditions. Wet Supercars races always deliver drama, and this time Slade was the main protagonist—albeit after a heart-stopping moment.
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