Another Supercars Veteran Announces His Retirement

Jason Bright called time on Saturday.

Today, it's Todd Kelly announcing he's hanging up his helmet.

The 38 year old will steer what may well be his final ever race at this weekend's Coates Hire Newcastle 500.

While Bright will race on as a co-driver in the PIRTEK Enduro Cup, Kelly hasn't made up his mind on whether he wants to race again.

He still enjoys it though.

“It’s been good but I can’t do it forever, even though I’d love to. But everything is lined up for it to be the time to hang the helmet up.

“To have a 20-year career doing something you love is pretty special. It’s been a long, solid and clean career of being a professional driver.

“And even though I would probably change a few things if I had my time again, there’s not anything I regret over that period.”

Jason Bright's also announced he'll retire from full-time driving

So why now?

Kelly points to a knee injury and the demands of team ownership as factors behind his decision to give it up.

“It would have been great to have six months off and come back in the correct condition, but it’s always been a matter of dealing these things working around our calendar.”

As for what's next, Kelly says he plans to contribute behind the scenes of the Nissan Motorsport-Kelly Racing team where he can.

"I certainly have a keen eye for detail, whether it be from car prep to the engineering of the cars."

“That would be an area I’d like to put a lot of focus in, especially with the driver line up we’ll have next year.

Kelly's spent eight years racing for teams run or linked to the Walkinshaw operation, a season with Larry Perkins before nine at his own team.

While those early years drew some wins including Bathurst in 2005, recent seasons have been more lean with a best series finish of 14th last year.

There's no word yet on a replacement driver for #7 although the team has held talks with enduro partner Jack Le Brocq.