Surfers Paradise: Jack Daniel's Racing Saturday notes

RICK KELLY MAKES GROUND WITH NINTH IN SURFERS

Jack Daniel's Racing driver Rick Kelly has made ground over today's proceedings at the Nikon SuperGP at the Surfers Paradise street circuit on the Gold Coast today.

Kelly was disappointed to qualify in 16th position yesterday but moved up the order in his #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore today, finishing 12th in the first race today and then climbing through the pack to be ninth in the second and final stage of today's proceedings.

Rick Kelly now lies just seven points behind Lee Holdsworth for seventh place in the championship standings entering Sunday's two 34-lap hitouts.

Todd Kelly endured a tough day aboard the #7 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore, crashed out at the third corner on the opening lap of today's first race by Jason Richards.

The impact damaged Todd Kelly's steering, forcing him to bring his battered car home as best he could, finishing in 19th position.

Todd then struggled with further problems in the second race of the day, finishing in 23rd position to now lie 17th in the points tally.

Garth Tander won today's opening event of the 2009 Nikon SuperGP ahead of this morning's race winner Mark Winterbottom and third place getter Will Davison.

JACK DANIEL'S RACING QUOTEBOARD

Rick Kelly - #7 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore:

"It was a tough day," said Rick Kelly.

"There were a couple of blokes banging into us in Race One, which hurt us a little bit.

"I'm still a little bit disappointed with qualifying because I made a couple of slip ups yesterday and it's always tough to pass around here.

"I am reasonably satisfied with moving up to ninth today but I was pushing pretty hard in the race and I kept locking brakes, so I need to do a cleaner job.

"If we qualify higher and make the Jack Daniel's Commodore a bit faster and more comfortable to drive we could finish in the top five tomorrow, but the top couple of guys have probably got a bit of an edge on us."

Todd Kelly - #7 Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore:

"In the first race our chances were gone on the first lap when someone speared into us," said Todd Kelly.

"In the second race I don't know what was wrong with our Jack Daniel's Commodore. We were sitting well down the order and didn't have the pace to work our way back up.

"So something is wrong and we need to knuckle down and work it out for tomorrow."

-credit: kellyracing.com.au