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Jack Daniel’s Racing happy with Sandown first race

Jack Daniel’s Racing press release

Rick Kelly

Rick Kelly

Edge Photographics

Double podium as Rick and Todd Kelly slip and slide to first and third at Sandown

Jack Daniel’s Racing has scored its second double podium for 2011 with a stunning wet weather performance from brothers Rick and Todd Kelly at the Norton 360 Sandown Challenge at Sandown International Raceway in Melbourne, Victoria today.

Rick Kelly made full advantage of his pole position, leading almost the entire race aboard his #15 Jack Daniel’s Commodore to take his third win of the season.

Just as he did in qualifying earlier today, Kelly proved the master of the wet Sandown circuit and was the only driver to break into the 1min19secs bracket, charging out in front despite several Safety Car periods that eroded his advantage.

The Jack Daniel’s Commodores were outstanding in the wet, untouchable.

Rick Kelly

Team-mate Todd Kelly charged through the order from 14th on the grid. The #7 Jack Daniel’s Commodore was also fast in the treacherous wet conditions, but a broken shock absorber in qualifying saw him start mid-pack.

Todd soared through the pack in the time-shortened race to grab third place from Will Davison on the drag race to the chequered flag, scoring his second podium finish for the season to emulate the double podium the brothers from Mildura scored in Saturday’s race in Hamilton, New Zealand this April, also a wet race.

The result lifts Todd Kelly into 18th in the 2011 V8 Supercars Championship points standings after 25 of 28 races, with Rick continuing to hold down seventh place.

JACK DANIEL’S RACING QUOTEBOARD

RICK KELLY - #15 Jack Daniel’s Holden Commodore:

“I’m stocked with the job the guys have done to provide both Todd and I with the cars they did today,” said Rick Kelly.

“The Jack Daniel’s Commodores were outstanding in the wet, untouchable. We'll make a few improvements to them in the dry, so that we can hopefully, one day, get them the same.

“We've found a few key ingredients over the last couple of rounds which will help them in the dry, there's no doubt about that. We’re very strong on street circuits in the dry and in the wet. We’re heading to Homebush now and we should be able to capitalise on that - hopefully there are some more wins.

“We are very, very focused on the dry pace at the moment, and looking after the soft tyre, because it’s continually changing the grip level that we are feeling on the soft tyre. It is a little bit different to certainly 12 or 24 months ago. We are continually changing the car to try and react to that.”

#7 Jack Daniel's Racing: Todd Kelly
#7 Jack Daniel's Racing: Todd Kelly

Photo by: Chris Von Wieldt

TODD KELLY - #7 Jack Daniel’s Holden Commodore:

“The car was an absolute bullet in the race,” said Todd Kelly.

“I got a bad start, recovered and passed a few guys. I had a few tussles with different people and ended up off the track here and there.

“Every time I lost position, I got back on and settled back in. I could just pass cars reasonably easy so I’m absolutely rapt with my Jack Daniel’s Commodore today.

“If we’d have had a better qualifying run we'd probably both be here with blood noses and black eyes maybe because we would have been right up there.”

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