Jenna's Profile

Name: Jenna Kelley

Nickname: Tiger

Date of birth: 7 January

Resides: Melbourne, Victoria Australia

Nationality: Proudly Australian

Occupation: Personal Assistant / Equestrian Coach and Co Driver

Currently working: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

Beloved Road Car: Champagne Silver, MY99 Subaru WRX

Rally Car for 2010 - Porsche GT3 911 & Porsche 911 Club Sport

2010 Teams: Max Warwick & Mark Clair

Years rallying: 8

Rally Heroes: Possum Bourne, an amazing and incredibly inspiring man who taught me to never give up on what I want and to always reach for my dreams. I will never forget my time working with him at STi and in New Zealand and of course, I have to say, Petter Solberg.

Co Driver Level: B grade

Career Wins (Victorian Rally Championship + International Events)

2003 VCRS Champion Novice Co Driver

2004 VRC Champion GpN Co Driver

2005 APRC Rally of Canberra 1st Australian Privateer and 10th Outright Co Driver (APRC = Asia Pacific Rally Championship)

A Little More About Jenna

My name is Jenna Kelley and I am a Victorian co-driver originally from Perth. My passion for co-driving came to life in, of all places, Antarctica! Yes, Antarctica! After over four years of persistence and never giving up, I was living and working on the ice at the New Zealand Antarctic Research Base, Scott Base, over the summer of 2000/2001. We had lots of parties on the ice and one of them was a "P" party. My best mate, Paul, came dressed as rally driver, Possum Bourne, the infamous NZ and Australian Rally Champion.

When I returned home to Australia, I researched more about rallying and how to get into the sport. I posted an email on the Vic Rally e-group about wanting to navigate. I really wanted to drive, but there was no way I could afford a car and maintain it, so this was the next best thing. I had about 15 replies from people wanting to help me. I was taken under the wing of Trevor Woods and his wonderful family (who are all excellent competitors), and learned the black art of true navigation with maps.

From there, I hooked up with Fabian Apps and his little orange Corolla and we headed off to do my first event the TCV Rally. On the second stage, we rolled and hit a tree. The car was aptly nicknamed "Rolly Corolly". I ended up in the Epworth Hospital the following day with delayed concussion, which I didn't know I had until I was violently sick! But, Fab and I soldiered on to win the VCRS (Victorian Club Rally Series) Novice Championship in 2003 in his new car a Mitsubishi Evo I, until Fab ran out of money and had to sell both the cars.

I then met Derek Reynolds and competed with him for 2 years in a Mitsubishi EVO II, we had great success and won the 2004 GpN Victorian Rally Championship! Then, unfortunately, I ran out of money and advertised to co drive on the e-group again. Here I met the delightful Nat Prusetto who runs Sbaru Parts Racing. (Yes, that's the correct spelling as Subaru is registered to Inchcape and Fuji Heavy Industries).

The SPR car was the 1999 Subaru WRX STi RA, built by the legendary Possum Bourne Motorsport Company in New Zealand. It is a car that was instantly recognisable and very well known by members of the public with any interest in, or exposure to rallying or motorsport in general. This vehicle was an extremely competitive machine, as it proved in 2003 when it won the Australian Rally Championship round of Rally of Melbourne in the hands of Simon and Sue Evans.

I also compete regularly in Tarmac Events and in 2009 I partnered Ray Vandersee for my first ever Targa Tasmania in the superquick Skelta G Force, in 2008 we placed 4th out right, Ray's highest ever placing at this event. At the Mount Buller Sprint in 2005 and January 2006, I was in a Porsche 550 replica with Wes Thompson. In November 2006, I competed with Nigel Moore in an MY03 STi. In 2007 I was with Troy Nicholson in the AWD HSV Monaro Coupe and we competed together again at Mt Buller in 2009.

For Lake Mountain I regularly compete with Mark Clair in the Porsche 911 Club Sport. Mark and I will also be competing at Targa Wrest Point in 2010.

Throughout the years, I have had various drivers, and many crashes and DNF's. Hopefully 2010 will improve and bring me some excellent results. Being a very enthusiastic, loyal and successful person, I can guarantee that 2010 promises to be yet another very exciting year!

Feel free to contact me for any further information or to assist me with personal sponsorship opportunities. I would also be delighted to help anyone wanting to break into the sport with contacts or further information.

The rallying community is one big family - there are no sheep stations here!

Best wishes,

Jenna xxx