Rick Kelly is confident that he and brother Todd's new team is now in a position to make a serious attack on this weekend's Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 after the Kelly brothers completed their traditional drive to Mount Panorama.

As the newest team in the V8 Supercar pack, lead drivers Todd and Rick Kelly have worked hard at developing the new team since it opened its doors in Braeside, Melbourne on March 2nd earlier this year.

The Kelly brothers drove a custom '53 Chev to Bathurst along with Jack Daniel's Racing team-mates Nathan Pretty and Ben Collins this week, continuing an annual tradition that the Kellys and Pretty share with so many other Bathurst fans.

With a qualifying race win at the L&H 500 at Phillip Island in the first endurance race of the season last month, the #7 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore of the Kellys will be a car to watch at Mount Panorama, one of only three entries that can boast both drivers as former Bathurst winners.

Practice for the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 starts tomorrow at the 6.213-kilometre circuit.

JACK DANIEL'S RACING QUOTEBOARD

Rick Kelly - #7 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore:

QUESTION: The speed that you showed at Phillip Island pointed towards you guys being a real contender here at Bathurst. What chance do you give yourselves?

"We're a big chance," said Rick Kelly.

"The pace we had at Phillip Island was really second-to-none.

"The weather conditions and everything suited us right down to the ground. We had a couple of little hiccups that took us out of contention for the race win and since then we've done everything we can do to make sure those little hiccups don't happen here.

"The guys have done a really great job at preparing our Jack Daniel's Commodore and all the guys at Kelly Racing really have the right mindset.

"To win this race you need to have the right team-mate, the right car and the right crew and we've really been able to do a good job with it.

"A little over six months in, we know that our new team has all the right guys for the job and they've given us a great car.

"Todd and I have won Bathurst before so as far as a team and a combination goes I think we have a strong chance."

QUESTION: Do you think that your traditional drive to Bathurst gives you a chance to collect your thoughts and relax a little bit in the lead-up to the race?

"The lead-up to Bathurst for us has been very busy, even though we've had a bit of time between Phillip Island and this race.

"We've been working on a lot of little projects and making sure everything is in order for the big race.

"So the trip up was a day and a half of time that was great for us to reflect on what sort of event this is and just relax a little bit and get into the groove of the Bathurst weekend.

"Now we are starting to think about each session and have a good think about everything.

"The drive up is definitely a worthwhile trip for us and the old '53 Chev ran seamlessly the whole way, which was fantastic."

QUESTION: If it was to rain on Sunday, does that change the race dramatically and does the list of race favourites change?

"It just puts another big variable into the race.

"Rain at Mount Panorama can mean it's raining at the top of the Mountain and not the bottom, or vice-versa, and that can catch you out.

"The rain, mixed with oil, debris and other things that can get onto the track are all things that can grab you.

"I don't think that rain will change who is most likely to win, it just might take a couple of the favourites out of the race.

"So we just have to make sure that we make smart decisions out there as a team and as drivers and just hope that we are there in a good position towards the end of the race when it counts."

Todd Kelly - #7 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore:

"When we established our own team this year we knew that it was going to take a while to bed things down but so far I've been really pleased with how things have worked out," said Todd Kelly.

"But all year this race has been a major focus for us and our speed at Phillip Island showed that we've improved our Jack Daniel's Commodores to the point where we now have a very competitive package.

"It's great to arrive here and have race week well underway. It doesn't matter how many times you race here, you always have a special feeling when you drive into this place and you always want to go flat out to win it.

"Bringing our own team to Bathurst for the first time is a very exciting thing for not only me and Rick, but our whole team and all of our supporters, so I couldn't be happier right now."

Ben Collins - #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore:

"I'm lucky to have some great team-mates to help me and I've got a lot of in-car footage and data from previous races that the Kelly brothers and Nathan have given me to watch with the aim of familiarizing myself with the circuit before I arrived here," said Ben Collins.

"I've been looking at footage and data to learn and now that I've arrived I have already been around the track to continue to learn ahead of the race.

"It's great that I have the seat-time from Phillip Island under my belt because to me this is a completely new discipline of racing. Hopefully I can carry the progress from that event into here at Bathurst."

Nathan Pretty - #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore:

"Rick, Todd and myself always try and do something a bit different rather than fly here in a helicopter or plane," said Nathan Pretty.

"It's very enjoyable, especially driving down William Street and seeing Mount Panorama. So we're working on getting Ben all psyched up about it and it's great to see that big sign up on the hill and to get to Bathurst in one piece.

"We didn't have any dramas on the trip and it was great fun, so that's another Bathurst trip under our belt.

"We've been sparking up a few jokes about our British friend, Ben. When we first got here we did a few laps around the circuit in the Chev and Ben is already quietly excited about the track and the challenge ahead of him this weekend.

"He will do a great job. He did an awesome job at Phillip Island so there is no reason why he will not do well again here."

KEY FACTS:

- Todd and Rick are attempting to become the first brothers to win the Bathurst 1000 in a V8 Supercar ...
* only once have brothers teamed up to win the Bathurst 1000, with Geoff and David Brabham winning the Super Touring version of The Great Race in 1997 in a BMW 320i, after Craig Baird and Paul Morris crossed the line first but were later disqualified. Two versions of the Bathurst 1000 were staged in 1997 and 1998.

- Few families can boast multiple Bathurst winners ...
* Brothers Todd and Rick Kelly have three Bathurst 1000 crowns between them
* Jim Richards is a seven-time Bathurst winner and son Steven Richards has won twice at The Great Race
* Geoff and David Brabham, son of three-time F1 World Champion Sir Jack, won the Super Touring Bathurst 1000 together in 1997

- Only THREE pairings in this year's race can boast both drivers as former Bathurst 1000 winners ...
* Rick Kelly (2003, 2004) and Todd Kelly (2005)
* Mark Skaife (1991, 1992, 2001, 2002, 2005) and Greg Murphy (1996, 1999, 2003, 2004)
* Craig Lowndes (1996, 2006, 2007, 2008) and Jamie Whincup (2006, 2007, 2008)

- Rick Kelly continues to hold the record as the youngest ever Bathurst winner from his 2003 victory with Greg Murphy...
* Rick also holds the record as the youngest driver to win a round of the Australian Touring Car Championship/V8 Supercar Championship Series as a result of the same win
* At Symmons Plains in May this year, Rick claimed brother Todd's record as the youngest driver to compete in 100 Australian Touring Car Championship/V8 Supercar Championship Series events

- Holden looking to bounce back after three-year Bathurst drought ...
* The last drivers to win Bathurst in a Holden were Todd Kelly and Mark Skaife in 2005
* The two years prior to that, Rick Kelly and Greg Murphy won back-to-back Bathursts for Holden

- Ben Collins is one of 13 drivers making his Bathurst 1000 debut this weekend ...
* The others are fellow Brit James Thompson as well as Troy Bayliss, Daniel Gaunt, Mark McNally, Tim Slade, David Wall, David Sieders, Andrew Fisher, Damien Assaillit, Brad Lowe, Sam Walter and Taz Douglas.

JACK DANIEL'S RACING KEY STATISTICS

Todd Kelly - #7 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore:

Born: 9 October 1979 in Mildura, Victoria
ATCC/V8SCS Debut: 1999 Eastern Creek
ATCC/V8SCS Starts: 129
ATCC/V8SCS Event Wins: Eight
ATCC/V8SCS Event Podiums: 25

TODD KELLY AT BATHURST:

Bathurst Debut: 1998 (with John Faulkner)
Bathurst Events: 11
Best Bathurst Race Start: Second (2007 with time set by Mark Skaife)
Best Bathurst Race Finish: FIRST (2005 with Mark Skaife)
Top 10 Finish in Race: Six
1999 - Sixth with Mark Noske
2000 - Fifth with Nathan Pretty
2001 - Third with Greg Murphy
2003 - Eighth with Mark Skaife
2005 - First with Mark Skaife
2006 - Second with Rick Kelly
NB: 2003 Bathurst 24 Hour winner with Peter Brock, Greg Murphy and Jason Bright aboard the #05 Holden Monaro.

2008 Qualifying: 18th (time set by Todd Kelly)
2008 Race: 17th (with Shane Price)

Rick Kelly - #7 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore:

Born: 17 January 1983 in Mildura, Victoria
ATCC/V8SCS Debut: 2001 Queensland Raceway
ATCC/V8SCS Starts: 105
ATCC/V8SCS Event Wins: Five
ATCC/V8SCS Event Podiums: 24

RICK KELLY AT BATHURST:

Bathurst Debut: 2001 (with Nathan Pretty)
Bathurst Events: Eight
Best Bathurst Race Start: First (2003 with time set by Greg Murphy)
Best Bathurst Qualifying: Third (2006 with Todd Kelly, time set by Rick Kelly)
Best Bathurst Race Finish: FIRST (2003 with Greg Murphy AND 2004 with Greg Murphy)
Top 10 Finish in Race: Four
2002 - Fourth with Nathan Pretty
2003 - First with Greg Murphy
2004 - First with Greg Murphy
2006 - Second with Todd Kelly

2008 Qualifying: Sixth (time set by Rick Kelly)
2008 Top 10 Shootout: Fourth (time set by Paul Dumbrell)
2008 Race: 20th (with Paul Dumbrell)

Nathan Pretty - #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore:

Born: 11 November 1973 in Albury, New South Wales
ATCC/V8SCS Debut: 1999 Barbagallo
ATCC/V8SCS Starts: 22
ATCC/V8SCS Event Wins: -
ATCC/V8SCS Event Podiums: -

NATHAN PRETTY AT BATHURST:

Bathurst Debut: 1998
Bathurst Events: 11
Best Bathurst Race Finish: Fourth (2002 with Rick Kelly)
Top 10 Finish in Race: Six
2000 - Fifth with Todd Kelly
2002 - Fourth with Rick Kelly
2004 - 10th with Alan Simonsen
2005 - Sixth with Owen Kelly
2006 - Eighth with Paul Weel
2008 - Eighth with Jack Perkins
NB: 2002 Bathurst 24 Hour winner with Garth Tander, Cameron McConville and Steven Richards aboard the #427 Holden Monaro.

2008 Qualifying: 19th (time set by Jack Perkins)
2008 Race: Eighth (with Jack Perkins)

Ben Collins - #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore:

Born: 13 February 1975 in Bristol, England
ATCC/V8SCS Debut: 2009 Phillip Island
ATCC/V8SCS Starts: One
ATCC/V8SCS Event Wins: -
ATCC/V8SCS Event Podiums: -

BEN COLLINS AT BATHURST:

2009 Bathurst debut.

2009 V8 Supercar Championship Standings
Championship Points - After Race 17 of 26
1. Jamie Whincup 2254
2. Will Davison 2083
3. Garth Tander 1738
4. Craig Lowndes 1725
5. Steven Johnson 1590
6. Mark Winterbottom 1574
7. James Courtney 1370
8. Russell Ingall 1364
9. Rick Kelly 1336
10. Lee Holdsworth 1310
16. Todd Kelly 1095

SUPERCHEAP AUTO BATHURST 1000 DETAILS:

Circuit: Mount Panorama
Location: Bathurst, NSW
Circuit Length: 6.213 kilometres
Format: 161-lap race (two drivers per car)

2008 Polesitters: Garth Tander and Mark Skaife
2008 Winners: Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes

 

See ‘The Ultimate Endurance' at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 on October 8-11. Weekend tickets from $106 can be pre-purchased from Ticketek.com or a Sunday-only ticket for $86 is available at the gate. Visit v8supercarevents.com.au for information on accommodation packages.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE
All times are local Australian Eastern Standard Time

Thursday 8 October 2009
12:40pm - 1:15pm: Practice 1 - Part A
1:30pm - 2:20pm Practice 1 - Part B
3:00pm - 3:50pm: Practice 1 - Part C

Friday 9 October 2009
9:55am - 10:25am: Practice 2
10:35am - 11:05am: Practice 3
2:10pm - 2:50pm: Qualifying Leg 1
3:00pm - 3:30pm: Qualifying Leg 2

Saturday 10 October 2009
10:00am - 11:00am: Practice 4
3:45pm - 4:30pm: Top 10 Shootout

Sunday 11 October 2009
8:00am - 8:20am: Warm Up
10:30am: 2009 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000
161 laps of one lap after 5:27pm (whichever occurs first)

TELEVISION SCHEDULE - SEVEN NETWORK
Times subject to amendment - please check local guides.

Friday 9 October 2009
1:00pm - 3:00pm: Bathurst Qualifying

Saturday 10 October 2009
12:00pm - 2:30pm: Top 10 Preview
2:30pm - 5:00pm: Top 10 Shootout

Sunday 11 October 2009
7:00am - 9:30am: Bathurst Pre-Race
9:30am - 5:00pm: Bathurst Race Coverage
5:00pm - 5:30pm: Bathurst Presentation
NB: Sunday coverage times are Australian Eastern.
30 Minutes earlier in South Australia
One Hour earlier in Queensland
Two Hours earlier in Western Australia