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The NRMA Grand Finale kicked into action today when the V8’s rumbled around the Oran Park circuit for one of the last times. HSV Dealer Team’s Rick Kelly was able to finish fourth fastest in the third and final practice session, setting himself up a good base for tomorrows three part qualifying and first race.
Kelly spent most of the second half an hour session re-acquainting himself with the #15 car he debuted in Darwin earlier in the year, which has been out of action following a heavy incident at Bathurst. The result saw him placed fourth fastest with a lap of 1:09.7618, 0.1403 seconds behind the fastest time of Jamie Whincup who topped the timing sheets with a 1:09.5125.
Kelly later said he was happy with his car setup and the speed he was able to generate in today’s session in his first outing back in his regular #15 Commodore.
Kelly’s team-mate Paul Dumbrell placed his #16 Autobarn Commodore fourteenth fastest in the second thirty minutes with a time of 1:11.1838, good enough to put him just outside of the top ten at the end of the session.
Championship leader Ford’s Jamie Whincup set the pace and the fastest time ahead of Holden’s Russell Ingall and Craig Lowndes.
The action continues tomorrow with qualifying and the first of three 46 lap races.
#15 Rick Kelly (4th fastest, 1:09.7618):
“Today’s practice session was our first session back in the chassis we debuted in Darwin so we were pretty cautious and gentle in the first thirty minutes. We had to get a few small things right again like the seating position and the general odds and ends from rebuilding the car from scratch. It cost us a little bit of time but overall fourth for today is pretty good. I think we should be pretty happy with that.”
“The track conditions have deteriorated over the last 12 months so it was pretty slow. Our car is quick and I think we should be proud of that. We will carry some confidence into tomorrow, we lost a couple of tenths over the lap but I think I need to be a bit firmer under brakes to see if we can’t get that time back. If we can do that then we are in good shape.
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