“I’M like the Highlander, the last one.”

In seven words, Steve Bell both accurately described his status as the last link between the Kelly Racing and Grove Racing eras, and exuded the knockabout personality that makes him a popular member of the pitlane.

The Taupō native better known as ‘Stretch’ joined the Supercars paddock in 2012 via Kelly Racing and its Indigenous-focused Super2 offshoot Dreamtime Racing.

“I did like six months before that folded and then TK (Todd Kelly) was like, you’re on my car in main game,” he told V8 Sleuth.

It would be an understatement to say there’s been a fair bit of change in the subsequent 14 years at ‘team Braeside’.

That 2012 season was the final year of Supercars’ Project Blueprint regulations, under which Kelly Racing ran Holden Commodores.

Then came Car of the Future and seven seasons with the Nissan Altima.

Steve ‘Stretch’ Bell got to set foot on the Darwin 2016 podium after Michael Caruso took victory. Pic: an1images.com / Dirk Klynsmith

Then a switch to Gen2 Mustangs for 2020.

Then a year of Kelly/Grove co-ownership in ’21 before the Groves took full control for ’22, and then the introduction of Gen3 in ’23.

There was turnover aplenty around the ownership transition but Bell stayed throughout, giving him a unique perspective on the contrast between two eras – particularly as the latter evolves into an out-and-out powerhouse.

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“It’s very different,” said the man who operates on Matt Payne’s #19 Penrite Mustang as well as doing all sorts of bits and pieces back at base.

“Kellys was extremely family orientated because you have got John and Marg, great people, very professional and awesome at what they do, TK and Rick still good mates now, still see them all the time. That was a lot more relaxed, back then.

“I actually got the end of my finger crushed off in an airjack accident so I moved into composites and I worked in there for a few years until I ended up running it.

“But dealing with the outside pressures of Nissan and the engine project and the never-ending parity bullshit, it was a nightmare honestly. Each Christmas re-homologating the car, redoing its bodywork.

“Then we went away from Nissan and moved into Fords. The Gen2 project was just sick, we did so much cool stuff in that time.

“Now it’s super professional, which is hard for me I suppose, because I’m just me and I find it hard to change for anyone if that makes sense.

Pic: Ross Gibb

“The Groves are very professional but still they always come to me because I just tell them honestly, I don’t hold anything back, so I think they appreciate that.

“But it’s very professional with them. It’s a business.”

That professionalism has underpinned Grove Racing’s culture of success. It’s now a genuine championship contender.

Though there’s still room for characters like Stretch, who seven days ago got on the Christchurch podium as the winning team representative – something he’d previously done 10 years back when Michael Caruso won in Darwin.

To do it on home soil was extra sweet this time.

“Especially with Brenton (Grove) saying ‘do whatever you want up there, I’ll pay the bill’,” said Bell.

“He was like, treat yourself, enjoy.”

There was no bill to pay, of course, because to the obvious amusement of his nearby colleagues Stretch insisted: “I’m very responsible.”