MOTOR SPORT
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WHEN it comes to this year’s Bathurst 1000 few lead drivers will have the Great Race experience that Todd Kelly can boast, but for the man sitting beside him it will be a very different story.
While Kelly will be lining up at Mount Panorama for his 19th start in the endurance classic, his co-driver Matt Campbell will be making his Bathurst 1000 debut in the #7 Nissan Altima.
The 21-year-old is a full-time driver in the Carrera Cup series, an all-Porsche category in which he has enjoyed good success.
In last year’s championship he was one of the best performers at the Bathurst round as he picked up a win and a pair of seconds in the three Carrera Cup races staged at the famous 6.213 kilometre circuit.
That helped the former Queensland Super Sprint and Formula Ford champion finish second overall in what was his rookie season in Carrera Cup.
Campbell is looking forward to taking the next step in his career as he joins Kelly for the V8 Supercars’ endurance rounds, the highlight of which is the Bathurst 1000.
“I’m really happy to be part of Nissan Motorsport for the endurance races this year,” Campbell said.
“Todd has a lot of knowledge behind him, so hopefully I can learn as much as I can and fast track my learning experience. Bathurst is the biggest race in Australian motor sport; to be a part of it is an amazing opportunity from Nissan Motorsport and a dream come true.”
Campbell has already spent time behind the wheel of the Altima, having impressed during pre-season testing and getting another chance late last month during a session at Winton.
However, he knows there will be an adjustment from steering a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car to a Nissan Altima V8.
“The differences in handling characteristics between my Carrera Cup car and the Nissan V8 Supercar will require a change of technique,” Campbell, who also qualified 12th fastest for the 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour in a Porsche, said.
“My goals now are to hone down my driving of the car, to get more miles and simply to get to know the car better.”
For Kelly, who last year placed 20th in the Bathurst 1000 with Alex Buncombe, the chance to mentor Campbell is a job he relishes.
“Rick [Kelly, Todd’s brother] and I have always been really passionate about giving the next generation a go and he really fits the bill with the potential he’s got. So we’re all wrapped to have him on-board at Nissan Motorsport,” Kelly said.
“We’ve been following Matt’s progress and he’s really stood out in his Porsche.
“After the previous test day we were all blown away with how good a job he did straight away. He was not only fast, but also reliable and he didn’t put a foot wrong.
“We’d been working with Matt and his people since then, so it’s great to be able to announce him as our driver for the endurance races.”
Any lessons Campbell can learn from Kelly, the 2005 Bathurst 1000 winner, will be important before he arrives at the Mount.
Kelly, who has failed to finish the Great Race three times since making his debut in 1998, knows the sort of pressure and challenges that are involved in the 161-lap epic.
Still, Kelly has faith in Campbell.
“While I was a little bit younger when I started my first Bathurst, Matt has got a bit more maturity and handles all that stuff no worries,” he said.
“He just gets in the car and switches on and does the job, so I think he’ll do a great job.”
This year’s Bathurst 1000 race week runs from October 6-9.