Kelly set for Perth challenge

WANNEROO, Australia – Jack Daniel's Racing Nissan Altima driver Rick Kelly is prepared for the Perth SuperSprint at Barbagallo Raceway next weekend, with car setup and tire life set to be crucial factors over the course of the event.

The 2.41-km long circuit places an emphasis on tires, and with only 12 hard compound and four soft tires to use over the three races, Kelly and his engineers are focused on a strong setup and a sound pit stop strategy.

Kelly has some form on the board at Barbagallo Raceway, with several podium finishes at the facility since his V8 Supercars debut at the venue in 2002.

After six races of season 2015, Kelly sits ninth in the point standings, the strongest start he has made to the Championship since joining forces with Nissan in 2013.

Weekend action is set to feature a pair of practice sessions on Friday, two 25-lap races on Saturday, and an extended 83-lap long race on Sunday.

QUOTEBOARD

RICK KELLY, Jack Daniel's Racing Nissan Altima

"We've come away from more of a difficult round at Symmons Plains, and in the past Barbagallo Raceway hasn't necessarily been our favorite track. We've spent a lot of time at the Tasmania round, and also over the break until Perth working on a lot of different things to help us get through the corners that we've struggled on in the past. The main areas of focus for us have been the tight hairpin at Symmons Plain, and the bowl over the back of the track at Barbagallo, which over the last couple of years has been more of a challenge than what we would have liked.

"It's good. It sets us a good challenge, to unlock that particular issue will be key for us, because our car has a real edge on faster and flowing corners, like at Sydney Motorsport Park.

"If we can keep the advantage we have on quicker circuits, and then unlock our trouble areas at places like Tassie and Perth, we'll be in a much better position.

"We have some great development items, and some great thoughts around solving the issues, and I'm quite excited to get to Perth and be able to see what we'll be able to achieve, what challenges it will in turn present to us, and go from there.

"It's going to be good to get back into the car after such a long break."

On tires for the weekend:

"We've just come off the back of Tasmania, where we have run the softs for two whole stints, and we really could have run them for an entire race.

"It's certainly not like that at Perth. It's going to be important to go there and work out what degradation is going to be before we run the tire.

"We've only got one set of softs, so by the time you work out how long they are going to last for, it's already going to be too late.

"It's going to be really interesting. We just have to ensure that we do a better job than the other teams, again bank as many points as possible, and then head on to a track that favor us a little better at Winton."

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