Todd Kelly in front at Clipsal 500

Todd Kelly has performed once again for the Holden racing team, winning the first leg of the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide today. Kelly beat off challenges from last year's winner Jamie Whincup and the in-form James Courtney to take the 250km event, the first of two races that culminates tomorrow.

It is the first race of the 2007 V8 Supercar Championship Series and Kelly, who lined up in a new billion dollar baby VE Commodore, said it was a good sign for things to come.

"To be honest I'm a little bit blown away," he said in a statement. "To maintain that momentum with a brand new car is unbelievable. The pace we had was just awesome."

It was a day of fast finishes, with second place-getter Courtney snatching the lap record away from Jason Richards (set last year), after relinquishing pole position early in the race. Kelly did things the hard way, working his way up from 15th after hitting an oil spill earlier in the day.

1. Todd Kelly Holden Commodore VE 78
2. James Courtney Ford Falcon BF 78
3. Jamie Whincup Ford Falcon BF 78
4. Rick Kelly Holden Commodore VE 78
5. Mark Winterbottom Ford Falcon BF 78
6. Garth Tander Holden Commodore VE 78
7. Greg Murphy Holden Commodore VE 78
8. Russell Ingall Ford Falcon BF 78
9. Steven Johnson Ford Falcon BF 78
10. Jason Bright Ford Falcon BF 78
11. Steven Richards Ford Falcon BF 78
12. Dean Canto Holden Commodore VE 78
13. Craig Lowndes Ford Falcon BF 78
14. Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VE 78
15. Jason Bargwanna Ford Falcon BF 78
16. Steve Owen Holden Commodore VZ 78
17. Max Wilson Ford Falcon BF 77
18. Adam Macrow Ford Falcon BF 77
19. Jack Perkins Holden Commodore VE 76
20. Jason Richards Holden Commodore VE 76
21. Cameron McConville Holden Commodore VZ 76
22. Shane Price Holden Commodore VE 76
23. Alan Gurr Ford Falcon BF 75
24. Lee Holdsworth Holden Commodore VZ 74
25. Andrew Jones Ford Falcon BF 73
DNF Brad Jones Ford Falcon BF 48
DNF Paul Dumbrell Holden Commodore VE 47
DNF Will Davison Ford Falcon BF 38
DNF Paul Morris Holden Commodore VZ 31
DNF John Bowe Ford Falcon BF 16
DNF Fabian Coulthard Holden Commodore VZ 6