| On popular motor sports betting show Top Gear, | | | | Collins, who worked as stunt driver on the latest |
| some say he is the anonymous driver called "The | | | | James Bond movie Quantum of Solace, comes to |
| Stig". All we know is he's competing in this year's | | | | Australia with extensive racing experience. |
| V8 Super car endurance races. | | | | Among the 34-year-old's achievements are |
| On Wednesday, Jack Daniel's Racing announced | | | | testing sessions with Formula One team Ascari |
| English endurance racing specialist Ben Collins will | | | | and the American Red Bull NASCAR team. |
| pair up with veteran Nathan Pretty in the team's | | | | Todd Kelly, who will partner brother Rick in the |
| No.15 Holden for the annual endurance races at | | | | team's other car, said he was delighted to have |
| Bathurst and Phillip Island. | | | | such an experienced crew in their second vehicle. |
| Collins, a professional stunt driver, has long been | | | | "Endurance races like Phillip Island and Bathurst |
| rumoured to be the Stig, with English newspaper | | | | require a combination of pace and consistency, |
| The Telegraph claiming he had mistakenly outed | | | | especially when it comes to 161 laps at Mount |
| himself in January. | | | | Panorama," Kelly said. |
| | | | "Ben has achieved a lot in endurance style racing |
| The show fiercely guards the identity of the Stig | | | | and he will be a real asset to our team as we |
| and it's believed Collins could be sacked if he did | | | | tackle our first endurance events. |
| admit he was the popular character. | | | | "It's fitting that he's paired with Nathan because |
| The first Stig, stunt driver Perry McCarthy, lost | | | | the two of them are both noted endurance |
| the job after outing himself in his book Flat Out, | | | | specialists. |
| Flat Broke, published in 2002. | | | | "It's great to have two guys with such pedigree in |
| Regardless of his secret identity, Collins will | | | | our No.15 Jack Daniel's Commodore." The Kelly |
| definitely be behind the wheel at this year's | | | | brothers finished second at both Bathurst and |
| Bathurst 1000 and Phillip Island 500 events. | | | | Phillip Island the last time they teamed up in 2006 |
| "I'm very excited about the opportunity to race in | | | | and two-time Bathurst winner Rick Kelly said the |
| V8 Supercars with Jack Daniel's Racing," Collins | | | | pair are confident of a good result. |
| said. | | | | "The endurance races have been a major focus |
| "Phillip Island and Bathurst are two circuits that | | | | for our team and Todd and I can't wait to team |
| every driver would love to get the chance to | | | | up again," he said. "When we ran together in 2006 |
| race on, especially Bathurst, which is such a | | | | we finished second at both enduros, so we've |
| famous race. | | | | definitely got some unfinished business this year." |
| "I drove a Holden V8 Supercar earlier this year | | | | This year's endurance races begin with the Phillip |
| and these cars are sensational. They're very | | | | Island 500 from September 11-13 before the |
| demanding and the level of talent and | | | | Bathurst 1000 is held from October 8-11. |
| professionalism in this category is very high." | | | | |