Supercars veteran Kelly still gets Bathurst butterflies

TODD Kelly won’t forget the feeling he had as a teenager when he raced in the Bathurst 1000 for the first time.

The Supercars veteran made his debut in the famous race in 1998 and the nerves were like nothing he had experienced before.

“I was only 18 years old and I remember just being so nervous,’’ Kelly said.

“I had done a couple of races, I had done the Sandown 500 in a Supercar and raced at Bathurst in other categories, but I had never been so nervous, ever, being at the mountain in a Supercar.

“After 20 years it still has a similar effect going back to Bathurst. It is just one of those places that is so special and demands so much respect and that really hasn’t worn off.’’

Kelly, 38 next week, is this week preparing for his 20th start at Bathurst and he still gets the “butterflies” when the countdown to the endurance classic begins every year.

The Nissan driver and team boss will become only the third current full-time driver to notch the Bathurst milestone behind Triple Eight Racing veteran Craig Lowndes (24th start this week) and Prodrive’s Jason Bright (21st this week).

“Twenty years is a good milestone for Bathurst, that’s for sure,’’ Kelly said.

“A couple of weeks out from Bathurst you start thinking about preparing your mind and body for the race weekend

and you start thinking about the little bits and pieces of track and racing lines that you need to focus on and as soon as you do that you get butterflies in your stomach even before you get to the place. It’s just one of those events.’’

Kelly tasted victory at Bathurst in 2005 driving with Holden legend Mark Skaife and has also finished on the podium at Mount Panorama on two other occasions.

While he has not succeeded in winning the drivers’ championship, Kelly believes a Bathurst victory means more to him as a driver.

“I have won a Bathurst but not the championship, so asking people that have won both is probably fairer,’’ Kelly said.

“But I reckon deep down if I had to choose I would still say Bathurst to be honest because ... if anyone says ‘I’ve won the championship’, it’s like ‘That’s good’, but if you say, ‘I’ve won Bathurst’ that kind of resonates with everyone a little bit more.’’

Sitting 20th in the Supercars’ championship this year, Kelly will team with co-driver Jack Le Brocq.