Kelly and Radisich settle for seventh

It was a day of mixed emotions for the HSV Dealer Team today, Rick Kelly and Paul Radisich overcoming a number of dramas before crossing the chequered flag in seventh position.
Kelly and Radisich were sitting comfortably in the top five before the heavens opened up and rain poured onto the circuit. Strategy came in to play down pit lane with many teams deciding to pit for wet weather tyres.

Kelly opted to stay out on slicks and battle through with the weather, a decision causing him to spin a couple of times in the torrential downpour and putting him back in the pack and a lap down.

The safety car was called into action a number of times during the race. Kelly pushed on and managed to drive the car back to seventh position where he finished the race.

Garth Tander and Mark Skaife collected the trophy for Holden today, Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes were second and Steven Johnson and Will Davison were third.

Kelly finished the round claiming 196 points and managing to hang on to his Championship position in fourth. “To be honest I was a bit disappointed with myself in that race. With a 500km race there are lots of variables, including the weather, and it seems to happen every time we run a 500km race in our Championship.

“I tried to call the strategy from the car and when the wet weather came I thought I could stay out and that is what hurt us. We struggled for the rest of the race and got caught up in other peoples incidents and went off a couple of times ourselves with slick tyres in the wet conditions which put us a lap down.

“We fought our way back to seventh but it wasn’t quite enough to get us back in the running.”

Rick’s team mate for the race, Paul Radisich said: “The weather caught us out and Rick decided to battle on with slicks in the rain and the heavens opened up and caught him out. Other than that we were on track for a podium but that is motor racing and that is the way it goes. You take those gambles and they either work or they don’t and on this occasion they didn’t.

“But it was awesome drive to come from a lap down to seventh so were happy.”

The next round of the Championship is Round 10 at Bathurst in October.

“Bathurst is the crown jewel, said Radisich, “We have the speed in the car and I am settling into it well so hopefully we can step up on that top step come October time.”

In the Team’s Championship the HSV Dealer Team currently sits in sixth position with 2568 points.