The 41-year-old, winner of four BTCC races over two spells in the series, has bowed out of the West Surrey Racing BMW line-up after three seasons at the Sunbury squad.
Jelley is closing in on a return to Team Parker Racing, the Leicester man’s local team, with which he took seven race wins in the Carrera Cup across 2010-11 and then raced again in 2015-16.
He also competed in the BTCC with the Stuart Parker-run squad from 2017-20, before his move to WSR. But now a depression in the house-building market, in which he is heavily involved running the family business, has forced a readjustment of his racing programme.
The likely move comes hard on the heels of fellow BTCC race winner Dan Lloyd confirming his own Carrera Cup GB programme with Toro Verde.
Jelley looks set to race the car owned and previously campaigned by fellow East Midlander Justin Sherwood – the multiple Amateur class champion is prioritising the career of his son, Formula 4 racer Jack.
“It’s not quite done yet,” Jelley told Autosport. “But if it does happen, I’m going to use Justin’s car which he’s not put a scratch on, probably put a scratch on it and just keep going!
“The BTCC [budget] figures are just so crazy these days at a time when the building industry, where a lot of my sponsors come from, is on its knees.
“I just have to keep responsible with my racing and offer the best value for money.
Source: Autosport