Kelly's unique birthday Bathurst feat

October 9 marks the birthday of Todd Kelly, who holds the unique distinction of having won Bathurst on his birthday.

In 60 runnings of the Great Race at Mount Panorama, just once - Kelly in 2005 - has a driver won on their birthday.

Kelly combined with Mark Skaife to win the 2005 Bathurst 1000 for the Holden Racing Team today 16 years ago.

It was the third year running that a Kelly brother had won the Great Race, with Todd’s younger brother Rick winning in 2003 and 2004.

Rick, the 2006 series champion, also remains the youngest ever Bathurst winner at 20 years, eight months and 25 days.

Today marks Todd’s 42nd birthday; his 2005 win was his second Bathurst podium after he finished third in 2001.

He combined with brother Rick to finish a narrow second in 2006. He made his 20th and final Bathurst start in 2017, finishing seventh alongside Jack Le Brocq.

Just two drivers will celebrate birthdays at this year’s Repco Bathurst 1000, which will be a six-day event.

Both drivers will be in the Brad Jones Racing stable. Todd Hazelwood’s co-driver Dean Fiore will turn 38 on the Wednesday of race week.

Chris Pither, who will share the #96 Coca-Cola Commodore with Macauley Jones, will turn 35 on qualifying Friday.

Todd Kelly will remain Bathurst’s only birthday winner for at least another year, but several drivers have come close.

Barry ‘Bo’ Seton turned 29 two days after winning the 1965 race.

Bob Morris turned 28 the day after winning the 1976 race.

Tony Longhurst’s 1988 victory came a day before he turned 31. His second win, alongside Skaife in 2001, came six days before his 44th birthday.

HRT’s first Bathurst win, in 1990, came two days after winner Win Percy turned 47.

Todd Kelly’s Bathurst win in 2005 came on a highly dramatic day.

Skaife and Kelly’s win was the seventh consecutive win by a Holden. It remains the longest such streak in the combined history of the Bathurst 1000.

It was also HRT’s fifth Bathurst win and Skaife's fifth victory, and his third in five years.

Kelly also became the 50th driver to claim Bathurst victory.

Skaife took the lead with 20 laps to go over the Tasman Motorsport Commodore of Jason Richards.

Craig Lowndes started on pole alongside Marcos Ambrose, but brushed the wall early in the race before being hit by an errant wheel.

The Betta Electrical Falcon’s windscreen was smashed, and regulations required the rear screen to be removed as well.

Ambrose famously clashed with Greg Murphy at the Cutting with 16 laps to go, with the two drivers arguing heatedly at the side of the track.

Skaife held firm to claim victory ahead of Jason Richards, who helped Jamie Whincup to his first Bathurst podium.

Lowndes and Whincup would win an emotional Great Race 12 months later in the weeks following Peter Brock's passing.

The 2021 Repco Bathurst 1000 will be held from November 30, with race day on December 5.