Kelly car switch for Malaysian V8 races

Kelly is one of five V8 Supercars drivers heading over to the KL City Grand Prix next month, joining Craig Lowndes (Triple Eight), Scott McLaughlin (GRM Volvo), Chaz Mostert (Prodrive Racing Australia), and Will Davsion (Erebus).

But the older of the Kelly Brothers won’t be in his #7 Altima, instead taking the wheel of the #15 Jack Daniel’s car usually driven by Rick, who will be in the UK on Nissan GT Academy duties.

The car will engineered by racing director Scott Sinclair, with four other crew members also heading to KL.

“A new country, being in front of new people, it will be great,” Kelly told Motorsport.com.

“For a lot of our partners, it’s got huge relevance. It will be interesting to see the response on the ground there, but we’ve had great feedback from our sponsors.”

The five V8 Supercars will have three hours of track time in Malaysia, including three races… which leaves Kelly wondering if the category’s driving standards observer Jason Bargwanna will also be in attendance.

“It’s going to be interesting. If we’re out there doing racing with five cars, it won’t take long for it to turn pretty serious,” he joked.

“I wonder if V8s is taking Bargs over as well.”