David Russell will again line up alongside Rick Kelly in the Jack Daniels Racing Altima for this year’s V8 Supercars Pirtek Enduro Cup.
2015 marks Russell’s fifth endurance campaign for the Melbourne-based outfit, having previously partnered Rick in 2014 and 2012 and Todd Kelly in 2011 and 2013.
After a strong showing last year, the pair are now looking to improve on the top-ten results they earned at Bathurst and on the Gold Coast.
“Having David back on board is really exciting for us,” said Rick Kelly.
“Continuity is a massive thing in V8 Supercars, and so is experience in endurance racing from a co-driver as well.
“David not only has a lot of experience in a V8 Supercar, but also a lot of experience with us as a team, which is important.
“This year has been great for us, we have a lot of momentum carrying us further up the grid, I think David and I have been a very solid combination in years gone by in the enduro cup.
“It’s certainly the time of year I’m most excited about, heading into the endurance races, we’ve had a lot of rounds heading into this year to get used to our new engineering group, and we’re starting to really hit our straps, and grow confident with one another.
“It’s a really good time to introduce David into the team, get him in the car, and get him working with George (Commins, race engineer) and Giovanni (Colombo, data engineer).
“I’m really excited with the group of guys we have currently on the 15 car, it’s certainly the best we have looked heading into the endurance season in many years.
“The endurance cup is certainly something we can focus on, points wise it will be interesting to see how we can come out the other end with it.”
Russell has increased both his domestic and international racing commitments in 2015, with a full-time return to the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia, and several international GT outings.
After finishing seventh in this year’s Bathurst 12 Hour, Russell won in his first ever ADAC GT Masters race at the Red Bull Ring in Austria alongside Tomas Enge.
“I couldn’t be happier to be honest, to team up with Rick again for the endurance races is fantastic,” said Russell.
“Obviously we get along very well, this is my fifth year with the team in Jack Daniel’s colours, and I get on very well with the team.
“To have that continuity coming up to the endurance races is very important.
“I’m feeling very confident, and looking forward to jumping into the number 15 Nissan come September.”
On Nissan’s current strong form, Russell added: “I’ve been watching closely the recent results, as well as the qualifying effort in Darwin, and it’s very exciting!
“The guys in the Nissan Motorsport team have worked so hard, and it’s starting to pay off.
“It will be very nice to be a part of it, we’ve had some past success, but there is nothing I want more than to go and win some races with Rick, that’s for sure.”
Confirmation of Russell’s place alongside Kelly completes the Nissan Motorsport line-up with Dean Fiore and Taz Douglas again partnering Michael Caruso and James Moffat and Alex Buncombe returning to team up with Todd Kelly.
