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Todd Kelly will race under number #20 at this weekend’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 to mark his 20th start at The Great Race.
The Nissan Motorsport co-owner made his Bathurst 1000 debut as an 18-year-old in 1998 when he partnered John Faulkner in a VS Commodore, which ultimately ended in retirement.
The 37-year-old has been ever present at Mount Panorama since enjoying a victory in 2005 alongside Mark Skaife in Holden Racing Team Commodore.
Kelly has visited the podium on two other occasions when he finished third with Greg Murphy in a Kmart Racing Holden in 2001.
He also finished as the runner-up in the 2006 edition driving alongside brother Rick Kelly.
Kelly has raced using the #7 for the last nine years at the 6.2km circuit but has failed to finish inside the top six since 2006.
This year he will be joined by Dunlop Super2 Series driver Jack Le Brocq, who finished fourth as a co-driver to Cameron Waters in The Great Race last year.
“I can’t believe it’s 20 years. I’m not sure where all those years have gone,” said Kelly.
“It feels maybe like 10, but certainly not 20. It feels like yesterday that I was an 18-year-old in my very first Bathurst, down the bottom of the mountain with the worst nerves I had in my life.
“A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then and a lot of different co-drivers. Luckily, to get one win in all those years, and a few close ones to a few more wins.
“But the biggest thing is to get to race around such an amazing place. It’s something I’d love to do for years to come.”
VIDEO: Todd Kelly looks ahead to 20th Bathurst 1000 start
