Caruso aims to keep championship position in play; Jack Daniel's Racing celebrates 200th event for Todd Kelly

PHILLIP ISLAND, Victoria, Australia – Norton Nissan driver Michael Caruso is putting all of his focus on his championship position ahead of the penultimate event of the 2014 V8 Supercars Championship at Phillip Island this weekend.

After scoring a third place finish at the Gold Coast last month, Caruso currently sits 10th in the championship fight.

With just six races remaining, Caruso is keen to finish the year off strong and maintain – or even improve – on that position.

But he can ill afford any mistakes, with a number of drivers close behind. One of those drivers in his Norton teammate James Moffat, who is a little over 150 points away from the top 10.

And fans with a keen eye will notice that the Norton Nissan of Caruso will return to its traditional yellow scheme, matching that of Moffat's #360 Altima V8.

Practice will be held on Friday followed by qualifying and racing on both Saturday and Sunday.

Michael Caruso, #36 Norton Nissan

"We just need to keep the flow going. The speed of the car has been really good, so the biggest thing for us is to keep that going consistently inside the top 10," said Michael Caruso.

"We are consistently progressing and moving up the field, but now is the time to cash in. It's vital for us to come away with a big bag of points this weekend.

"It has been a nice solid year to date, but if I'm to stay inside the top 10 in the championship, Phillip Island is really important. The last round in Sydney always produces such a lottery bag, so we need to have a good foothold before we get up there."

James Moffat, #360 Norton Nissan

"We've had a pretty mixed run at Surfers Paradise with not great car speed, so we'll have to see what our car is like on Friday at Phillip Island before we think about how we might go," said James Moffat.

"I do love the Phillip Island circuit. It's always good to get down there. It's easily one the better tracks that we have in the country.

"The track was resurfaced last year, so grip-wise, I would anticipate that it should still be in good condition.

"Hopefully we have some nice weather, but more importantly, I hope we can have a good run and get back to some of that form we were showing before the Gold Coast."

Jack Daniel's Racing Celebrates 200th Event for Todd Kelly

Jack Daniel's Racing Nissan Altima driver Todd Kelly will be looking to mark his 200th V8 Supercar event in style this weekend, as the Championship makes its penultimate start for the season at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

Only the 11th driver to reach the milestone in the history of Australian Touring Car competition, Todd has a total of 19 race victories to his credit, and six pole positions.

Of those 19 wins, three have come on the high speed Phillip Island circuit, with the Nissan squad looking to continue its recent run of podium form.

With two top-ten results from the endurance portion of the season, Rick Kelly is looking forward to a return to a happy hunting ground.

A highlight for Rick at Phillip Island was in 2006, when he claimed his maiden V8 Supercars Championship at the venue.

JACK DANIEL'S RACING QUOTEBOARD

Todd Kelly - #7 Jack Daniel's Racing Nissan Altima

"Reaching 200 events is pretty big milestone," said Todd Kelly.

"You go along racing, and once every now and then a stat like this is brought to your attention. You reflect back on all of the races you have been involved in, and all of the highs and lows experienced along the way.

"So to bring up that number, especially at Phillip Island, which has had some good memories, is pretty cool.

"I love driving at Phillip Island; any track that has a good mix of high speed corners is a favorite of mine.

"Circuits like Eastern Creek, or across the top of the Mountain at Bathurst, or going into the Chase, places where the cars are right on the edge, are always the most enjoyable.

"The track should suit the Nissans, and with only two events to go, I really want to get a good result on the board."

RICK KELLY - #15 Jack Daniel's Racing Nissan Altima

"Phillip Island is definitely one of my favorite stops on the tour. It's so fast and flowing. It's very enjoyable to race on," said Rick Kelly.

"Obviously last year the new track surface and new generation cars threw a bit of a curve ball, but I think we are now well and truly on top of it.

"Obviously for the Nissan Motorsport squad we have a fair bit of momentum after a pair of podium places from the past two events, and on the Jack Daniel's side of the garage, there's a lot of motivation to match the Norton side's results.

"With only two rounds to go, we're ready to end of the season on a strong note."

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