The race was held on 9 October 2005 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia and was Round 10 of the 2005 V8 Supercar Championship Series.

It was the ninth running of the Australia 1000 race, first held after the organisational split over the Bathurst 1000 that occurred in 1997.

It was also the first to be run under new naming rights sponsor, Australian automotive retail chain Super Cheap Auto.

It was the seventh consecutive win by a Holden, the longest such streak in the combined history of the Bathurst 1000.

Kelly followed his younger brother Rick as a Bathurst winner, becoming the 50th driver to claim victory.