Todd Kelly has qualified his #7 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore in seventh position for tomorrow's Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 after a weather-affected Top 10 Shootout at Mount Panorama today.

Kelly was the third car out onto the track in today's qualifying run-off, held on a drying track following a rain shower roughly an hour prior.

With the track gradually drying, Kelly's lap was held as several high speed corners across the top of the mountain were still considerably damp, giving television viewers spectacular views from the new ‘WingCam' as the Jack Daniel's Commodore skated close to the concrete wall at Sulman Park.

Both Todd and brother Rick Kelly are confident of the race package they have ahead of tomorrow's 161-lap race, backed up by a strong fourth place result in practice earlier today when the pairing chose to concentrate on heavy fuel load race simulation runs.

Endurance specialists Nathan Pretty and Ben Collins will start this year's Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 from 24th position on the 32-car grid after Pretty put in a solid performance yesterday in the #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore.

Garth Tander won pole position at Bathurst today ahead of Craig Lowndes and Mark Winterbottom.

JACK DANIEL'S RACING QUOTEBOARD

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

"The weather was a huge factor in the Shootout," said Todd Kelly.

"We made a set-up change on the car from the last practice session during the break before the shootout. We changed a few things in the Jack Daniel's Commodore and it was the best it's been all weekend but the track conditions were the worst they have been all weekend.

"The places where we were strong before it rained, we completely weren't in the Shootout. I was using all the road I could up the top but you just couldn't go near any of the walls up there because there was water sitting along all the edges of the track.

"So that really knocked our lap around and by the time I had done my lap and they had a couple of (television) ad breaks, the track just got drier and drier and quicker and quicker.

"Unfortunately we were just on the wrong end of that Shootout but we are completely happy with the Jack Daniel's Commodore and really happy that we're in the top 10.

"With the way the car is and with us starting seventh, it might be a good omen. I think Rick and I will have a good day tomorrow."

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

"Today we had the Shootout but in the long practice this morning we focused on the race car set-up," said Rick Kelly.

"We managed to get the Jack Daniel's Commodore very comfortable for the race on full tanks, so that's great for us.

"Obviously seventh is probably a little further back than we would like and definitely further back than the car's true pace, it's just that with the rain, the track was wet when we did our lap and whoever went last was definitely in the best conditions to get the pole.

"For us, we would have loved to have started on the second row of the grid, where you are not in the limelight so much but still have a great opportunity for the first stint.

"Seventh is fine. It's not very often that the car that finishes qualifying on pole wins the race, so we will just move forward as quickly as we can tomorrow and make sure our fuel and strategy is right for tomorrow."

RESULTS: Top 10 Shootout
1. #2 Garth Tander 1 2:07.9463
2. #888 Craig Lowndes 2:08.2231
3. #6 Mark Winterbottom 2:08.2737
4. #34 Lee Holdsworth 2:08.4268
5. #8 Jason Richards 2:08.5015
6. #9 Shane Van Gisbergen 2:08.8159
7. #7 Todd Kelly 2:09.8986
8. #22 Paul Dumbrell 2:10.1474
9. #39 Russell Ingall 2:12.4565
10. #51 Greg Murphy DQ

RESULTS: Practice 4
1. #2 W.Davison/G.Tander 2:07.6374
2. #9 A.Davison/S.Van Gisbergen 2:07.8891
3. #8 C.McConville/J.Richards 2:08.0027
4. #7 R.Kelly/T.Kelly 2:08.2844
5. #17 James Courtney 2:08.3540
6. #6 S.Richards/M.Winterbottom 2:08.4699
7. #25 J.Bright/K.Reindler 2:08.5740
8. #34 M.Caruso/L.Holdsworth 2:08.8872
9. #888 C.Lowndes/J.Whincup 2:08.8987
10. #10 S.Owen/S.Price 2:09.3022
21. #247 J.Perkins/D.Wood 2:10.6332
28. #16 M.McNally/T.Ricciardello 2:11.7695
32. #15 Ben Collins 2:12.9987

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