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Kelly Racing news 2010-02-15

TODD AND RICK KELLY TAKE CLASS VICTORY AT SOUTHERN 80 V8 Supercar stars Todd and Rick Kelly have started 2010 with a victory of a different kind, winning their class at the prestigious Southern 80 water ski race on the River Murray near Echuca, ...

TODD AND RICK KELLY TAKE CLASS VICTORY AT SOUTHERN 80

V8 Supercar stars Todd and Rick Kelly have started 2010 with a victory of a different kind, winning their class at the prestigious Southern 80 water ski race on the River Murray near Echuca, Victoria over the weekend.

Rick Kelly drove the team's boat, named 'Esky Mojo', with fellow V8 Supercar driver Dale Wood alongside as observer, while Todd Kelly and Lloyd Woolman were skiers. The impressive Velocity boat is powered by a 300 Mercury XS outboard motor.

The team won the F2 Expert class, breaking the previous class record for the event with a time of 40 minutes 20 seconds with an average speed of 120km/h.

On a successful outing for the Kelly family, father John was also a class winner, taking out the Six Litre Expert class in his boat 'Mojo', which is powered by a Chevrolet NASCAR engine.

"Todd and I are absolutely stoked to get this win," said Rick Kelly.

"Driving our new 'Esky Mojo' boat is a huge challenge on the Southern 80 course, which is so demanding. It's one of the toughest things we've ever attempted.

"We have spent the last four months working on the boat on weekends and at nights after we have finished at the Kelly Racing workshop."

The Southern 80 was first held in 1962 and is the biggest water ski race in the world with over 400 entries each year from all around the globe.

The course spans the distance of the River Murray between Torrumbarry and Echuca and has over 120 bends.

This year's race was marred by the death of a competitor and several other serious injuries.

"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the competitor who sadly passed away on the weekend," said Rick Kelly.

"Water skiing has been in our family for years and we love the sport, so we are really saddened when a fellow competitor has been badly injured or killed."

Todd and Rick Kelly now fly to the Middle East for the first two rounds of the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series, beginning with the Yas V8 400 at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

-source: kelly racing

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