News: Owen Kelly to race Sirromet Wines Holden V8 Supercar

Tasmanian 'Super Sub' Owen Kelly has been recruited by Paul Morris Motorsports to drive a Sirromet Wines Holden Commodore in the remaining four rounds of this year's V8 Supercar Championship, starting on the Gold Coast this week.

The 30-year-old does not have a fulltime championship drive, but made a stunning debut in the 2007 series in September when he finished third in the Sandown 500 endurance race with Steven Richards in a Ford Performance Racing Falcon.

Kelly will begin his four-round championship stint with PMM driving a VZ Commodore in the V8 Supercar Championship races at the Lexmark Indy 300 in Surfers Paradise from October 18-21.

"This is a good opportunity to do some regular driving in the championship," said Kelly. "My aim is to try and get a fulltime championship drive and hopefully this will help."

"I haven't raced a V8 Supercar on the 'Indy' track before so this week will be a massive challenge. I will be taking a conservative approach to get myself up to speed."

Kelly will also drive the Holden in the final three championship rounds in Bahrain from November 1-3, Symmons Plains in Tasmania from November 16-18, and at Phillip Island in Victoria from November 29-December 2.

The Commodore that Kelly will race for the remainder of 2007 was driven in the opening six rounds of this year's championship by New Zealand's Fabian Coulthard, and then by Queenslander Steve Ellery in round seven. Coulthard co-drove the car with fellow-New Zealander Chris Pither in the following Sandown 500 and the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 endurance events.

Kelly previously drove for PMM in three rounds of the 2000-01 Australian 2-litre Super Touring Championship, and recorded four second places, a third, and a ninth from six race starts in a BMW 320i.

PMM team owner Paul Morris, who drives a Sirromet Wines VE Commodore in the championship, announced the move to recruit Kelly today.

"Owen (Kelly) shone out among the drivers who showed up for the endurance races this year," said Morris. "We still haven't finalised our driving line-up for next season so we are keen to have a close look at Owen."

"He has driven for our team before in the BMWs and did a great job. Fabian (Coulthard) has also done well this year, and now we want to see what someone else can do."

Kelly has made a total of 19 championship starts since 2000, mostly in endurance races, but also in sprint rounds of the 2005 series at Symmons Plains and at Eastern Creek in NSW, and in sprint rounds in 2006 at Symmons Plains and Phillip Island. His best Bathurst result to date was sixth with Nathan Pretty in a Commodore in 2005.

This year Kelly was third with Richards at Sandown, and then 13th with New Zealand's Matt Halliday in an FPR Falcon at Bathurst. Kelly made a one-off appearance in the 2007 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Development Series at Oran Park in August and won the round. His racing commitments this year have also included competing in NASCAR Late Model races in the United States.

"I've done plenty of V8 Supercar racing recently, but it's been in a Ford, not a Holden," said Kelly.

"When I get in the Commodore at 'Indy' this week I'll be using practice to settle in and get familiar with the car and the track. It's a street circuit so passing is never easy, and keeping the brakes 'alive' for the whole race will be hard."

Both Sirromet Wines Commodores are prepared and maintained at PMM's premises at the Holden Performance Driving Centre at Norwell.

There will be two practice sessions, plus qualifying for the V8 Supercars on the Gold Coast on Friday. The first race will be held the following day, with the remaining two races on Sunday.

OWEN KELLY - FAST FACTS