Todd Kelly

Jack Daniel's Racing team-mates Todd and Rick Kelly have survived a tough opening race at the Sucrogen Townsville 400 in far north Queensland today. The Kelly brothers did not enjoy a stellar day in their Jack Daniel's Commodores today, but brought both cars home to the finish to score valuable championship points and allow their crew to concentrate on improvements for tomorrow.

Rick Kelly came home in 15th place today, running in the top 10 for most of the day but fading in the late stages. The drink bottle system failed in Kelly's #15 Jack Daniel's Commodore, making it tough work for the two-time Bathurst winner in the Townsville heat today.

Todd Kelly also showed top 10 potential and in the opening stages both brothers were on a charge after making a strong start from 12th and 13th on the grid after Todd narrowly edged out Rick in qualifying.

But Todd Kelly's #7 Jack Daniel's Commodore suffered bad rear tyre wear in today's race, seeing him drop down the order as he lost rear grip around the 2.86-kilometre circuit. He finished 17th in a result good enough to lift him one place to 18th in the series points standings.

Jamie Whincup won today's 72-lap race in Townsville ahead of Garth Tander and Mark Winterbottom.

To view Saturday's photos click here

Jack Daniel's Racing team-mates Todd and Rick Kelly have shown promise in a solid start to the Sucrogen Townsville 400 after practice in far north Queensland today. The brothers were near the top of the timesheets for much of today's running, but did not find the improvement of others when running on new tyres in the dying moments of final practice.

While the Jack Daniel's Racing pairing are seeking improvement in terms of qualifying and race pace overnight, today's solid start is a shot of confidence ahead of the pair of 200 kilometre races this weekend.

After occupying second and seventh place on the timesheets in Practice 3, the pair ended the day 13th and 21st on overall times after Practice 4.

Jason Richards was fastest overall in practice today ahead of Jamie Whincup and Garth Tander.

To view photos from Friday click here

Jack Daniel's Racing team-mates Todd and Rick Kelly have surveyed Townsville from both the sea and air today in preparation for this weekend's Sucrogen Townsville 400. Todd Kelly inspected the Reid Park circuit in the Red Baron seaplane today, taking to the skies in the local icon. Kelly is himself a pilot but assumed the unfamiliar position of passenger for today's flight.

Meanwhile brother Rick Kelly experienced Townsville by sea aboard a V8 powered 500 horsepower drag racing boat.

Like his brother, Rick Kelly was an uncomfortable passenger today, giving the two time Bathurst winner the strange sensation of travelling at high speed backwards in the observer's seat.

Rick steers the pair's ski racing boats, which this season have taken wins at both the Southern 80 and South Australian state ski racing titles when the brothers from Mildura, Victoria have had time between V8 Supercar commitments to race on water rather than bitumen.

The activities today ended with a race between the seaplane and the drag boat just off the Townsville foreshore, giving each Kelly brother an up-close look at the other's ride for the morning.

Jack Daniel's Racing is seeking redemption of sorts this weekend in Townsville after a below-par weekend at the inaugural event in far north Queensland last season.

To view photos click here

Hi All,

Here are some photos of my new helmet which I used at Darwin for the first time over the weekend.

I revamped the design and am now running an Italian made Stilo helmet which is awesome.

TK

To View Photos Click Here

Jack Daniel's Racing team-mates Todd and Rick Kelly have scored a double top 10 finish in the final race of the SKYCITY Triple Crown at Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin today. The Jack Daniel's Commodores met the chequered flag line astern at the end of today's race, with Todd Kelly finishing eighth and Rick Kelly in ninth place. The result lifts Rick Kelly to seventh in the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series standings, with Todd Kelly maintaining 19th position.

The brothers started the day in fine fashion by both qualifying in the top 10, the first time since the Sunday race in Hamilton, New Zealand that both Jack Daniel's Commodores have qualified inside the top 10.

With Todd Kelly starting from fourth place on the grid and Rick Kelly from sixth, both made perfect starts to be second and fourth by the first corner.

The pair then raced hard against Jamie Whincup and James Courtney throughout the first stint on their softer 'option' tyres, with the battle wearing out their softer rubber earlier than the team's strategy had planned.

Jack Daniel's Racing driver Todd Kelly has scored his third top 10 result for the season with ninth place in the opening race of the SKYCITY Triple Crown at Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin today. Kelly qualified in fifth place earlier today to earn his best starting position for the season so far aboard his #7 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore.

A poor start saw him drop down the order on the opening lap but the two-time Hidden Valley event winner held his nerve and gradually moved back up the order.

Kelly suffered from understeer problems throughout today's race but still earned ninth, giving him confidence that with overnight set-up changes he can challenge for the top five in tomorrow's longer race.

Rick Kelly finished in 14th place today aboard the #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore, having qualified in 21st position earlier today.

Jack Daniel's Racing team-mates Todd and Rick Kelly have their sights set on further success at Hidden Valley Raceway ahead of the SKYCITY Triple Crown in Darwin, Northern Territory this weekend. The brothers are aiming to make Darwin a turning point in the team's season, coming off the back of the team's first pole position at the last event at Winton in Victoria last month.

As the Kelly brothers seek to step up results for their young team, they visit a circuit where both have impressive form in past visits.

Todd Kelly is a two-time overall winner of the Darwin event, with three race wins and three front row qualifying performances at Hidden Valley in nine appearances at the Northern Territory venue.

Rick Kelly has a pole position and a race win to his name in Darwin and last season ran in second position for much of the Sunday race before finishing in fourth place.

Jack Daniel's Racing driver Rick Kelly has narrowly missed earning his first podium finish of the season by scoring fourth place in the second race of Event 6 in the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series at Winton Motor Raceway in rural Victoria today. Kelly, who started from pole position, scored a fourth place finish for the third time from 12 races so far this season aboard the #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore, also his 10th top 10 finish of the year.

The 27-year-old was beaten off the line by Jamie Whincup, and was also passed by Craig Lowndes and James Courtney in the first stint of the race as he worked to conserve his soft tyres.

To view photos from the weekend click here

Jack Daniel's Racing driver Rick Kelly has scored the first pole position for he and brother Todd's Kelly Racing operation for the 12th race of the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series at Winton Motor Raceway today. Kelly put his #15 Jack Daniel's Racing on the top of the timesheets halfway through this morning's 20 minute qualifying session, bettering his time with a new qualifying lap record to cement his first pole position since 2007.

RICK KELLY - #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore:

"It's our first pole position for Kelly Racing and it's pretty exciting for us," said Rick Kelly.

"I did a lap on the first set of tyres and made a mistake and it cost us a couple of tenths but we were still P1 at that point.

"I was disappointed with myself and still very angry from yesterday's result.

"We used that to get a good result today. I didn't expect pole but we will take it.

"We are very grateful for getting this and excited.

"On Friday our Jack Daniel's Commodore was very good. We made a couple of changes in the wrong direction for Saturday and it snow balled I guess and we had a very bad race. It was the worst race we've had all year by far.

"We needed to turn that around so it's exciting that we've been able to do that as a team.

Jack Daniel's Racing driver Todd Kelly has emerged from an action-packed race to claim sixth place in the opening race of the sixth round of the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series at Winton Motor Raceway in rural Victoria today. Kelly qualified for his first Top 10 Shootout since Phillip Island in November last year this morning, qualifying in ninth place to equal his best starting position for the season so far.

The driver of the #7 Jack Daniel's Racing driver was able to survive several spirited battles for position and drive home in sixth place, his best finish for the season so far and his second top 10 race result.

It was a roll reversal from Friday practice at Winton today for Jack Daniel's Racing, with Todd Kelly vastly improving his pace from yesterday.

Unfortunately for Rick Kelly, after being third fastest in Friday practice the #15 Jack Daniel's Racing driver struggled with car set-up around the 3.0-kilometre circuit today.

Rick qualified in 13th place and was shuffled back down the order on the first lap as a result of a slow launch off the grid.

Rick persevered to get to the finish and collect vital championship points, finishing in 18th place with an eye to big improvement for Sunday's race.

James Courtney won today's 40-lap race ahead of Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup.

Jack Daniel's Racing driver Rick Kelly has set the third fastest time in practice today ahead of this weekend's sixth event of the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series at Winton Motor Raceway in rural Victoria. Kelly posted his best practice result for the season so far aboard his #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore, happy that his car was fast 'straight out of the truck' at the 3.0-kilometre circuit today.

Brother and team-mate Todd Kelly was down the timesheets in 27th position today, with Todd one of the group of cars that did not use a new 'green' set of soft tyres today.

Craig Lowndes was fastest in practice at Winton today ahead of Shane van Gisbergen and Rick Kelly.

To view photos from the weekend click here

Jack Daniel's Racing driver Rick Kelly has jumped two spots in the V8 Supercar Championship Series standings to now sit in sixth place after finishing in seventh position in the final race of the Ipswich 300 at Queensland Raceway today. Kelly continued his streak of consistent finishes this season, having scored a top 10 result in all but one race this season after 10 of 26 races for 2010.

The driver of the #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore started today's 65-lap race from 11th position on the grid, driving a clean race to move up the order and be as high as fourth in the late stages of the race.

Michael Caruso was able to jump Kelly at the final round of pit stops when the Jack Daniel's Racing crew was delayed slightly by a wheel gun issue, and Shane Van Gisbergen and Craig Lowndes were also able to slip past in the final laps as a result of having newer tyres at the time.

Todd Kelly qualified 12th on the grid for today's race but dropped to 14th in the run through the first two corners after being run wide by another competitor.

To view photos from the weekend click here

Jack Daniel's Racing driver Rick Kelly has scored his eighth top 10 finish from nine races so far this season with eighth place in the opening race of the Ipswich 300 at Queensland Raceway in Ipswich today. Kelly started from 11th position in his #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore and made a great start to roar up the order and be eighth by the end of the first lap of today's race.

Kelly used his soft tyres to great effect to rise as high as sixth, but as his tyres wore his speed suffered, dropping him two places in the final stages of the 38 lap race to come home in eighth place.

Todd Kelly had yet another unlucky day today, with contact in the early stages of the race bending the left front hand side steering arm on the #7 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore.

To view photos from the weekend click here

Hi All,

I finally got half a day off on Anzac day to go for a decent ride on my new KLX450.

Brain Hands from 'Hands On Kawasaki' in Lilydale organized the ride with a few of the crew from Kawasaki.

We started off in Warburton and rode up into the mountains. There was quite a lot of rain over the weekend which made the tracks extremely muddy and slippery.

I have been riding bikes since I was only 2 ½ years old up on the farm in Mildura however my bush riding skills didn't prepare me for riding in the mountains on wet clay.

After the first 2 minutes we arrived at a massive hill that was wet and slippery with guys stuck on either side all the way up it trying to restart their bikes. As I was barely warmed up I decided to give that one a miss and ride around it.

The main aim for the day was to get out the other end with a straight bike and with me still in one piece as I had only 2 days until I was on a plane to our QLD round.

We rode through the mountains from Warburton to a place called Reefton and along the way endured some really challenging riding up and down hills, through deep ruts and mud puddles up to waist height.

Somehow I got all the way to Reefton without dropping my new bike which I was rapped with.

After a bite and beverage at Reefton, myself and Brian left the group and cruised back along the highway to top off a great day. I only wish I had more time for enjoyable rides like that one. It's great to get out and ride a nice bike like mine and a great opportunity to experience and enjoy nature and the mountains that are so close to Melbourne.

Todd Kelly

To view photos from the ride click here

Jack Daniel's Racing drivers Todd and Rick Kelly are conscious that preserving their soft tyres will be the key to success at the Ipswich 300 at Queensland Raceway this weekend. This weekend will see Dunlop's softer 'option' tyre used as the only tyre used for racing for the first time in V8 Supercar history.

Racing drivers by instinct want to extract every ounce of pace out of there machines but with the softer compound tyres having both higher grip levels and higher wear rates, drivers will need to conserve their rubber if they want to be competitive over the entire race distance.

While lap records are expected to tumble this weekend, the Kelly brothers say that drivers will have to hold back their enthusiasm to ensure that they do not wear out their softer rubber too quickly, leaving them to flounder to the finish while those with a more conservative approach benefit.

Jack Daniel's Racing has finished with both its Commodores in the top 10 in the final race of the ITM 400 in Hamilton, New Zealand today.

Rick Kelly made it two top 10 finishes for the weekend with sixth place in today's 59-lap race, with older brother Todd Kelly not far behind in eighth place.

But it could have been even better for both drivers, with an equipment failure in pit lane costing both precious time at the final round of pit stops.

This result is the first time that both Jack Daniel's Racing Commodores have finished in the top 10 this season and the first time since the Saturday race in Perth last November that both Todd and Rick have scored a top 10 in the same race.

Today also marked the first time that Kelly Racing has had three cars finish in the top 10 with Jason Bargwanna coming home in ninth place today.
Rick Kelly remains in seventh place in the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series points standings after eight races, just four points outside the top five. Todd Kelly sits in 20th place.

To view images from the weekend click here

Jack Daniel's Racing driver Rick Kelly has driven consistenly to finish eighth in the opening race of the ITM 400 at the Hamilton street circuit in Hamilton, New Zealand today. It was a relatively uneventful race for Kelly, who is keen to improve the car speed of his #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore so that he can pursue a podium finish in Sunday's race.

It was Rick Kelly's sixth top 10 finish from seven races so far this season, meaning he maintains seventh place in the championship standings.

Rick qualified in seventh position for today's race, his third top 10 qualifying effort for the season (not including qualifying fourth at the non-championship Australian Grand Prix event two weeks ago).

Jack Daniel's Racing team-mate Todd Kelly showed strong car speed in his #7 Jack Daniels' Racing Holden Commodore today but luck was not on his side around the 3.4-kilometre street circuit.

Jack Daniel's Racing team-mates Todd and Rick Kelly have gained confidence for this weekend's ITM 400 after practice at the Hamilton street circuit in New Zealand today. Rick Kelly set the 12th fastest time of the day aboard his #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore, while brother Todd Kelly was 15th fastest overall.

But both drivers opted not to run new tyres in the final stages of today's practice session, deciding to save as many sets of new 'greens' for this weekend's two qualifying sessions and 59 lap races.

Indeed, Rick Kelly sat second fastest on the timesheets for the majority of the fourth and final practice session of the day, but slipped down the order as others fitted new rubber.

Garth Tander set the fastest time in practice for the ITM 400 in Hamilton today ahead of Jamie Whincup and Shane van Gisbergen.

Jack Daniel's Racing team-mates Todd and Rick Kelly have both showed impressive pace to roar up the order in the final race of the BRC IMPCO Challenge at the Formula 1 Qantas Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Victoria today. Todd Kelly started from the rear of the grid at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit following brake problems in yesterday's race, but showed great speed aboard the #7 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore to race through the pack to finish in 10th position.

Rick Kelly was hit from behind and spun in a hectic first corner at the start of today's race, but recoverd to emulate his brother's performance and charge back through the field to finish in 13th position.

The pace showed by both Jack Daniel's Commodores is an impressive sign ahead of the fourth event of the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series, the ITM Hamilton 400 in Hamilton, New Zealand on April 16-18.

Jack Daniel's Racing driver Todd Kelly has finished in sixth place in the opening race of the BRC IMPCO Challenge at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne Victoria today. Earlier in the day both Todd Kelly and brother Rick showed the potential of their Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodores, qualifying third and fourth for today's race after a strong run in the Top 10 Shootout.

But at the start of the 13-lap race Rick Kelly was squeezed onto the grass as he challenged for second place on the run to the first corner, running wide and losing several spots. Todd Kelly also lost spots in the first corner skirmish.

Moments later Rick Kelly spun out of contention at Turn 9 when he locked his rear brakes, ending his chances for the day. He recovered to finish in 24th place in his #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore.

Todd Kelly ran a steady race aboard his #7 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore, fighting with Craig Lowndes, Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell in the second pack on-track and passing Dumbrell in the late stages of the race to claim sixth.

To view photos from the AGP click here