Kelly’s 2007 Adelaide winner to make return
V8 Sleuth
04 Nov 2024
THE Toll HSV Dealer Team Commodore that Rick Kelly drove to victory in the 2007 Clipsal 500 in Adelaide is returning to the site of its greatest victory at this year’s event to mark the 25th anniversary of the Adelaide 500.
The #1 Holden Commodore VE will take its place among a range of former Adelaide 500 cars at the display that will be the centre piece of the new ‘Pub in the Park’.
It joins an ex-Mark Larkham Orrcon Falcon AU, an ex-Jason Bargwanna Garry Rogers Valvoline Commodore and an ex-Wayne Gardner Coca-Cola Commodore as being confirmed cars for the display.
Situated directly opposite the concert site, Pub in the Park allows enthusiasts to get up close to the history making cars behind the grandstand on the main straight.
The Toll Commodore that will be on display was driven to overall victory in Adelaide in 2007 by then-reigning V8 Supercar Champion Rick Kelly.
A brand-new VE Commodore making its racing debut that weekend in Adelaide, the car won on Sunday as the 2006 V8 Supercar Champ led brother (and Saturday race winner) Todd’s Holden Racing Team sister car across the line.
Kelly raced this Commodore – chassis WR 002 – for the remainder of the 2007 season and into 2008. It competed that year in the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, this time as the HSV Dealer Team’s #15 entry, and finished sixth in the Sunday race.
The car was used by Kelly through until Darwin when he debuted a brand-new chassis, however, was wheeled back out for the Gold Coast and remaining rounds after Kelly’s new car was damaged in an accident at Bathurst with Kiwi Paul Radisich at the wheel. WR 002’s last race on the streets of Adelaide came in the Dunlop Series in 2013 with Jay Verdnik driving for Eggleston Motorsport.
The Eggleston team has since had the car returned to its Kelly #1 2007 Toll livery and it made an appearance on track at this year’s Adelaide Motorsport Festival.
The 2024 VAILO Adelaide 500 runs four days from November 14 to 17, as the 25th anniversary of his Hall of Fame event is celebrated on and off the track.
