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EXCLUSIVE: HOLDEN FOR TCR!

Holden badges for Kelly Racing Astra's - Photo: InSyde Media

By Bruce Williams

Holden badges for Kelly Racing Astra's - Photo: InSyde Media

Holden badges for Kelly Racing Astra’s – Photo: InSyde Media

Holden rather than Opel badges are expected to grace the two Astras campaigned by Kelly Racing in the TCR Australia Series that kicks off at Sydney Motorsport Park next month.

By BRUCE NEWTON

The deal will reunite the Kellys with Holden after they switched from Commodores to Nissan Altimas in the Supercars championship in 2013.

Kelly Racing has imported a pair of Opel Astra TCRs as part of its four-car ‘super team’ in the new turbo two-litre touring car series, which starts at SMP on May 18-19.

While the badge swap is yet to be finalised, KR general manager Nick Ryan signalled positive discussions were underway with Holden, which sells the road-going Opel-designed Astra hatchback through its dealer network.

“That (badging) opportunity is there,” Ryan said. “The good thing we have found with TCR is that there is genuine manufacturer interest across the grid.”

Drivers and commercial backing for the two Astras have yet to be announced – nor for the two Subaru WRX STis that KR will also campaign.

Kelly Racing will run four TCR cars - Photo: InSyde Media

Kelly Racing will run four TCR cars – Photo: InSyde Media

But Ryan did rule out the prospect of any of the team’s Supercars drivers, including highly-credentialled co-owner Rick Kelly, joining the TCR grid.

“From a competitive point of view, that makes all the sense in the world, but what’s driving this is more revenue for our business,” he explained, alluding to funded drivers filling the seats. “It makes a lot of sense. We can easily leverage the resource we already have within the business.

“We won’t be hiring a lot more heads to run the program and it will be manageable around our Supercars commitments.”

Ryan also confirmed Subaru Australia’s rally star Molly Taylor would not be fronting in a WRX, as had been rumoured.

“We would at some point love to see Molly in a car, but we understand her absolute focus is ARC,” he said.

The two Astras have been sourced from German outfit Lubner Motorsport, while the Subarus are coming from Top Run Motorsport in Italy.

Ryan confirmed Kelly Racing has leased the foursome from Australian Racing Group, the local TCR promoter.

Holden’s Astra hatchback is made by Opel, the former European GM division now owned by Peugeot.

The Holden Commodore is also a rebadged German-made Opel, sold elsewhere as the Insignia.

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