While it meant that Rick Kelly started behind the eight-ball in practice today, he was able to make up make up ground throughout the day in his #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore and end practice with the 20th fastest time, using just one set of tyres all day.
JACK DANIEL'S RACING QUOTEBOARD
Todd Kelly - #7 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore:
TODD KELLY – POST-PRACTICE MEDIA CONFERENCE
QUESTION: It must be good for you personally and also for the whole team to bounce out of the block so well here so quickly?
"The car was good here last time we were at this event and we started off with a pretty similar set-up and tuned it a little bit for up the top (of the circuit).
"The car was good, consistent and we could punch out laps even after the tyres had done a little bit of work.
"Towards the last two sessions it actually developed a little bit of a misfire and we didn't do all that many laps. We will try to get to the bottom of that because every time we went out it got worse.
"Fingers crossed we can work out what that is and sort it out for tomorrow morning."
QUESTION: What are your comments on the extra two practice sessions you were allocated as a result of a bad weekend last weekend, given that Jamie said it was unfair? You're obviously not a rookie but you are outside the top 50.
"That's bad luck. That's how it is. He's (Jamie Whincup) not last so that's not fair either."
QUESTION: Todd can you please talk about the best passing opportunities out there on the track?
"Well there is not much in that new section other than that corner at the top of the hill. You will be doing a pretty good job to fire it in at the tight right hander or the double left hander.
"But that's a really solid move up there up the back (at the hairpin) and if you do fire it in there, there is plenty of room with the way the mid part of the corner and exit opens right out.
"So it's certainly a fantastic bit of circuit and the very first time we came here to race and for the first few years, the whole time I was saying that it's a shame we don't get to use that bit of track
"It's an awesome part of the facility."
QUESTION: Todd after last week, how much of today was an anger sort of factor?
"The only thing we had to repair was the stickers, which is actually quite expensive now because Rick has done a full print down the side of the car, so he flips every time I come in with scratches on it.
"We had a terrible run at Abu Dhabi and I was in the two practice sessions at the start of the weekend there and we could just not get the car right. We were outside the window the whole weekend. Out of the car too, everything that was going on it was a horrid start to the year.
"So for the last few days I've concentrated on starting from a clean slate and treating this as the first round of the championship for us so we get it right.
"We were lucky in that we had a good here last time so today we had a much better base to start with.
"So hopefully we can sort that misfire out and keep that momentum going through the rest of the weekend."
Rick Kelly - #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore:
"When we started off it was a little bit tough, just like in Abu Dhabi where we rolled out and it was not ideal for us," said Rick Kelly.
"I'm pretty proud of the way that 'Swenno' (David Swenson, Race Engineer - #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore) and the team turned things around. It was not an ideal start to the day but I'm more confident now.
"We've still got a long way to go. The big thing is that you can't do more than one lap on a set of tyres before they go off.
"So it's very difficult to tune the car. It's a typical Bahrain set-up and track where it's very hot, very greasy, you've got one lap on your tyres and that's it. So it makes it tough.
"It's great for Todd because he had a tough start to the year. What he had in his car really didn't assist us in today's practice.
"Sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't. Today it was a little bit like we had to go down our own path."
RESULTS: Thursday Practice (Combined Times)
1. #888 Craig Lowndes 2:05.3174
2. #1 Jamie Whincup 2:05.6104
3. #7 Todd Kelly 2:05.7015
4. #9 Shane van Gisbergen 2:05.7233
5. #6 Steven Richards 2:06.1176
6. #2 Garth Tander 2:06.3512
7. #14 Jason Bright 2:06.4957
8. #4 Alex Davison 2:06.5810
9. #39 Russell Ingall 2:06.6384
10. #51 Greg Murphy 2:06.6954
19. #11 Jason Bargwanna 2:07.6575
20. #15 Rick Kelly 2:07.8254
29. #16 Tony Ricciardello 2:08.9686
KEY FACTS:
- Todd Kelly one of select few to have driven on Bahrain GP layout ...
* Jack Daniel's Racing driver Todd Kelly is one of only a handful of drivers in this weekend's V8 Supercar field to have driven on the 5.41-kilometre 'Grand Prix' layout of the Bahrain International Circuit
* Kelly and fellow Holden driver Garth Tander were guest drivers in the Chevrolet Lumina Series event in Bahrain at the 2006 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahraini Grand Prix
- Todd Kelly has strong form in overseas events ...
* Todd Kelly won the first Asian event in V8 Supercar history by winning at the Shanghai International Circuit in 2005 (winning Race 1, Race 3 and the event overall)
* Todd Kelly also scored a race win (Race 3) and second overall at the first V8 Supercar event held in the Middle East at the Bahrain International Circuit in 2006
- Kellys welcome DFS aboard for Middle East double header ...
* Todd and Rick Kelly will welcome DFS Galleria to their team for the V8 Supercar events in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. DFS signage will be paired with 'Jack Lives Here' branding on the two distinctive black Commodores driven by the Kelly brothers, with Jack Daniel's logos removed from the cars, equipment and team uniforms for the two events in the Middle East
* DFS is the world's leading luxury retailer catering to the travelling public. Founded in 1960, DFS operates more than 200 stores including Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Japan, New Zealand, Guam and Hawaii
* The round DFS logo will replace the 'Old No 7' logo that usually adorns the bonnet of the two Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodores. The team's familiar Jack Daniel's Racing livery will return for the first Australian event of the 2010 season at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide on March 11-14
GULF AIR DESERT 400 DETAILS:
Circuit: Bahrain International Circuit
Location: Sakhir, Bahrain
Circuit Length: 5.41 kilometres
Format: 200km race Saturday and Sunday
2008 Pole Winner: Jamie Whincup
2008 Race 1 Winner: Jamie Whincup
2008 Race 2 Winner: Jamie Whincup
2008 Race 3 Winner Jamie Whincup
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Times below are local Bahrain Times (GMT + 3 hours)
Thursday 25 February
11:20am – 12:00pm: Practice 1 (Rookies & Lower 50%)
12:30pm – 1:10pm: Practice 2 (Rookies & Lower 50%)
1:40pm – 2:20pm: Practice 3
2:50pm – 3:30pm: Practice 4
Friday 26 February
11:10am – 11:30am: Qualifying (20 minutes)
12:00pm: Top 10 Shootout
3:35pm: Race 1 (Series Race 3) – 37 laps
Saturday 27 February
12:20pm – 12:40pm: Qualifying
3:35pm –Race 2 (Series Race 4) – 37 laps
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Times below are Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Times (GMT + 11 hours)
Thursday 25 February
7:20pm – 8:00pm: Practice 1 (Rookies & Lower 50%)
8:30pm – 9:10pm: Practice 2 (Rookies & Lower 50%)
9:40pm – 10:20pm: Practice 3
10:50pm – 11:30pm: Practice 4
Friday 26 February
7:10pm – 7:30pm: Qualifying (20 minutes)
8:00pm: Top 10 Shootout
11:35pm: Race 1 (Series Race 3) – 37 laps
Saturday 27 February
8:20pm – 8:40pm: Qualifying
11:35pm –Race 2 (Series Race 4) – 37 laps
TELEVISION SCHEDULE – SEVEN NETWORK
Times subject to amendment – please check local guides
Saturday 27 February 2010
1:30pm – 4:30pm AEDST (V8 Supercars Race 1)
Sunday 28 February 2010
1:30pm – 4:30pm AEDST (V8 Supercars Race 2)
