Todd Kelly
A steady and skilled Australian touring car driver who transitioned from winning races for factory teams to building his own family racing empire.
Born 1979 (age 47)·Australian racing driver·Birthday: October 9·Generation X
Biography
Todd Kelly's career in Australian Supercars is a tale of two acts. First, as a reliable and fast gun for major factory teams like Holden Racing Team and Perkins Engineering, where he notched up race wins and established himself as a consistent front-runner in one of the world's most competitive touring car championships. He possessed a smooth, technical driving style that made him a threat on any circuit. The second act began when he and his younger brother, Rick, decided to take control of their destiny, transforming the struggling Perkins outfit into Kelly Racing. This move from driver to driver-owner was a monumental challenge, navigating the brutal business and technical landscape of the sport. While the wins became harder to come by, Todd's legacy expanded, cementing him as a savvy operator who helped keep the family name at the heart of the pit lane long after his helmet was hung up.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Todd was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Todd Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Todd's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the youngest driver to reach 100 championship race starts in Australian Touring Car/Supercars history.
- Won multiple championship races driving for the factory Holden Racing Team and Perkins Engineering.
- Co-founded and co-owned Kelly Racing (later Kelly Grove Racing), building a successful family-run team in the Supercars Championship.
Did You Know?
He is the older brother of fellow Supercars race winner and Bathurst 1000 champion Rick Kelly.
He drove the #1 car for the Holden Racing Team in 2007 as the defending teams' champion.
His final full-time season in 2017 saw him driving a Nissan Altima for his own team, Kelly Racing.
He won the prestigious Sandown 500 endurance race in 2003 with co-driver Greg Murphy.
“You don't win Bathurst by being the fastest; you win it by keeping the car in one piece for a thousand kilometers.”
