Kelly Racing returns in Super2 with rising stars

Kelly Racing will enter two Super2 Ford Mustangs in the Dunlop Series for second-generation racer Mason Kelly and rising star Aaron Cameron.

The team will run under the SCHRAMM Group Racing banner at this weekend’s Thrifty Bathurst 500, the opening round of the 2024 season.

The squad will be led by former Bathurst 1000 winner and team owner Todd Kelly, while Daniel Veronese has signed on as Team Manager and head Race Engineer.

The second-gen Kelly made his Supercars debut in Super3 last year in a Nissan Altima, and scored four podiums and finished fourth overall in Super3. Previously, he raced in Hyundai Excel racing and Sports Sedans.

Cameron is set for his first full-time Super2 campaign after contesting the final three rounds of 2023 in the SCHRAMM Group Racing Ford Mustang. Cameron, won won last year’s S5000 title, scored finishes of sixth at Sandown and Bathurst.

Cameron's car will feature backing from Queensland-based traffic and safety solutions company SCHRAMM Group for the season, while Kelly's car will also feature backing from SCHRAMM, Castrol, GTS Transport and ACL.

The two young drivers tested their Fords at Winton Motor Raceway earlier this month.

"Last year was a massive learning season for me in terms of the tracks and the car as I expanded my skill set to get my head around the whole experience,” Mason Kelly said.

"It was great to jump in the Mustang during testing recently. It’s the same chassis underneath as the Altima, but there are a lot of differences as well such as the position of the windows around the driver, the feel of the engine and the stability of the aerodynamic package make it really nice to drive. I found it easier in certain areas than the Altima.

“I was really happy with how we went in the two day test and it was great to complete all that running without any problems at a good pace.

“Super2 has been very competitive the last couple of seasons and there is a very high level of drivers, but I’d like to think we’ll be quite competitive. I won’t put a mark on what I want to achieve, but I’m confident going into the season and hopeful we can have some good results.

“Aaron’s a great guy and I get along with him very well. He has a lot of experience in a variety of different categories and he’s great to work with in addition to learning from, so I’m looking forward to teaming again together this season.”

Cameron added: “To do three rounds last year was all pre-planning to undertake a full-attack of the 2024 Super2 Series,” Cameron explained.

“We learnt a lot about the starts, the race craft and the different driving technique a Supercar requires compared to categories I come from as I’ve had to switch to right-foot braking.

"To roll out pretty strongly with Mason and I was pretty cool, with the car feeling different to last year as my confidence has grown since my first race at Sandown last year heading into the opening round at Bathurst.

“I’m aiming to be inside the top five, that’s where we’d like to be as a base goal and we’ll keep chipping away at it throughout the year."

Track action at the Thrifty Bathurst 500 will commence on Friday.