TWO-time Bathurst 1000 winner Rick Kelly was one of the first drivers to arrive at Mount Panorama ahead of the Great Race this weekend.
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The Supercars veteran, who joined the championship full-time in 2002, was met by fans at the circuit on Tuesday to show off the classic Castrol livery his car will sport across the event.
It’s not the first time this livery has been seen around Mount Panorama, it being a tribute to Larry Perkins, marking the 25th anniversary of his Bathurst 1000 win alongside Greg Hansford.
“It’s something we’re very excited to race this weekend and very proud of,” Kelly said.
“Our team has got a close association, firstly with Castrol, but Larry Perkins as well. We took over his race team and facility at Moorabbin near on 10 years ago now.
“For us to unveil Castrol [livery] at the start of the year was an exciting time, and it gives us the chance to showcase the rich heritage that both Castrol and Larry have got in Australia.”
After Wednesday’s engagement activities, the drivers will take to the track for the first time on Thursday for the first practice session.
Although a two-time winner, Kelly is not getting ahead of himself by thinking about the significance of the Bathurst podium to his team, Nissan Motorsport, which will lose its factory support at the end of the 2018 season.
“To win with [Castrol colours] or grab a podium would be a very special way to end the tribute livery we have run this weekend,” he said.
“But for now the focus is on the process that we’ve got to get through to get to that point, so getting onto the track nice and relaxed, finding a really good, fast car to hit qualifying with and then a nice, reliable, fast car for Sunday.”
READ ALSO: Kelly wins first Supercars race since 2011
Kelly will take on the challenge of the Mount with co-driver Garry Jacobson.
It is the first time the duo have driven together, but Kelly said his co-driver has brought a lot of “youth and enthusiasm” to the team and he feels confident sharing the drive with him.
“His pace is fantastic – and that’s something that you can’t teach,” he said.
“It’s easier to calm someone down in the car and tidy up the edges than it is to try and make them go faster, so we think we are in a pretty good position.”
Fans will have another opportunity to see Kelly and Jacobson at the driver signing in Russell Street on Wednesday.
Kelly said the fan experience at Bathurst is quite different to other tracks and it’s always interesting getting to talk to the different people who call the Mount home over the course of the event.
