Todd and Rick Kelly have unveiled one of the largest team sponsorship deals in Australian sport in Melbourne today with the iconic Jack Daniel’s brand re-signing with Kelly Racing.
The extension of the relationship will see the Kelly brothers race in the colours of Jack Daniel’s Racing well into the future as the pair aims to take their one-year-old team to the very front of the V8 Supercars field.
Team co-owner and Jack Daniel’s Racing driver Todd Kelly said that he and the entire team enjoyed a special relationship with Jack Daniel’s.
“The relationship that we’ve built with Jack Daniel’s has been awesome,” said Todd Kelly.
“To have a sponsor that is so involved with the team and is not just a sponsor, but a friend, is great for us.” 
“Having Jack Daniel’s confirmed is fantastic. It gives us real security and stability and that’s incredibly important when you are building a team.
“We’ve got a long way to go, but this is certainly a massive step towards getting there.
“The Jack Daniel’s brand is a big part of what we do and how we are seen. For them to have this level of confidence in us after just a short period is pretty special.”
Dual Bathurst champion and fellow Jack Daniel’s Racing driver Rick Kelly said the team was proud to retain the famous brand as its major backer.
“To have Jack Daniel’s show this level of support and commitment following our first year is simply awesome,” said Rick Kelly.
“We are truly lucky to have Jack Daniel’s onboard as well as lots of other great sponsors, which also highlights the job that the team has done so far.
“To be only one year old and to already be strengthening our sponsorship portfolio is something that makes every single person within our team very proud.”
Brown-Forman, owners of the Jack Daniel’s brand, first entered V8 Supercar racing as a naming rights sponsor in 2006 with Larry Perkins’ former team. 
Michael McShane, Managing Director for Brown-Forman Australia, said he was excited to confirm that the successful relationship between Jack Daniel’s and Kelly Racing will continue.
“Everyone at Jack Daniel’s is extremely excited to be continuing our great relationship with Todd and Rick Kelly and everyone at Kelly Racing,” said McShane.
“Kelly Racing is a great fit for Jack Daniel’s, with Rick and Todd as key ambassadors for our brand.
“We see V8 Supercars as a great platform for the Jack Daniel’s brand and the promotion of our ‘Pace Yourself, Drink Responsibly’ message.
“We look forward to promoting our social responsibility message and our brand with the team well into the future.”
Jack Daniel’s Racing also welcomes several new sponsors for the 2010 season, with SuperMax Razors, Powerbuilt Tools, Mack Trucks and iconic motorcycle makers Harley-Davidson joining the fold.
Rick Kelly sees representing these brands on and off the race track as a true privilege. 
“It gives me goose bumps to think about the brands that are associated with our team,” said Rick Kelly.
“Nick (Ryan, Kelly Racing Commercial Manager) and our commercial team have done a great job of selecting sponsors that really suit Jack Daniel’s and ourselves and represent the same things that we do.
“SuperMax, Powerbuilt, Mack, Harley-Davidson and all of our sponsors suit Jack Daniel’s Racing really well and the big thing we have in common with all of our sponsors is that we are extremely passionate about our brand, our racing and our business.
“All of our partners are very much a part of our team, not just a sponsor. That’s something that I always aimed to do with our race team and so have Todd and Nick, but to get to this level of backing so quickly is amazing.”
Jack Daniel’s Racing will show off its striking new livery at the first official test day of the V8 Supercar season on Monday 8 February 2010 at Winton Motor Raceway in Victoria.
The 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series kicks off in Abu Dhabi at the spectacular Yas Marina Circuit on February 18-20.
Jack Daniel’s Racing will run an interim livery at the first two events of the season in the Middle East before giving the sensational new design its race debut at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide on March 11-14.
