HSV Dealer Team
| 200px | |
| Team Principal | John Kelly Margaret Kelly |
|---|---|
| Debut | 2001 |
| Final Season | 2008 |
| Round wins | 16 |
| Pole positions | 11 |
| 2008 position | 6th (3,744 points) |
HSV Dealer Team was an Australian V8 Supercar team. The team ceased operations at the end of 2008. Walkinshaw Racing and Kelly Racing were created by owners and staff of the former team.
History
The team was formed in 2001 as K-Mart Racing when Tom Walkinshaw Racing expanded its Holden Racing Team operation to four cars. Because a team could only race three cars under a Racing Entitlement Contract (REC), Romano Racing's REC was leased for the two K-Mart cars with the Romano car entered as a third Holden Racing Team car under the Holden Young Lions banner.
Todd Kelly who had driven a third HRT entry under the Holden Young Lions banner in 2000 drove one car, with the second driven by Greg Murphy who moved with the K-Mart sponsorship from Gibson Motorsport.
For 2003 the cars were entered under a REC leased from John Faulkner Racing with Rick Kelly replacing brother Todd. Following the February 2003 collapse of Tom Walkinshaw Racing, the team was purchased by Holden before being quickly on-sold to John and Margaret Kelly. In July 2003 the leased John Faulkner REC was returned (and subsequently sold to Paul Weel Racing), after one was purchased from 00 Motorsport. The team won both the 2003 and 2004 Bathurst 1000s.
In 2005 Murphy was replaced by Garth Tander. At this point K-Mart concluded their sponsorship and the team became the Holden Special Vehicles Dealer Team. In 2006 Rick Kelly won the series, with Tander doing likewise in 2007.
In 2008 Tander transferred to the Holden Racing Team and was replaced by Paul Dumbrell.[1]
At the end of 2008 John Kelly announced he would end his association with Walkinshaw Performance and establish Kelly Racing with preparation handled by Perkins Engineering. Walkinshaw Performance continued to race four cars forming Walkinshaw Racing in 2009. Rick Kelly won the team's final race at Oran Park Raceway in December 2008.
2006 Endurance race controversy
For the endurance races in 2006, the HSV Dealer Team and the Holden Racing Team swapped drivers, primarily to split Tander and Kelly who were both in contention for the championship (being 1st and 2nd at that point). Tander joined Mark Skaife at HRT while Todd Kelly rejoined the team. A loophole in the regulations allowed the drivers to terminate their contracts with their respective teams. However while Kelly would finish second at both Sandown and Bathurst, Tander did not finish either event. The loophole was later closed.
References
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