Experienced racer Geoff Emery remains confident of a competitive motorsport return next year as he continues his recovery from a fractured vertebra.

The Melbourne driver has been making steady progress since he sustained the injury in a nasty Australian GT crash at Barbagallo Raceway in May.

Fitted with a back brace, Emery is now recovering at his Melbourne home having been released from the city’s Knox Private Hospital three weeks ago.

The former Supercars driver made a return to the GT paddock at Townsville where he watched from the sidelines as his Jamec Pem Racing replacement Tony Bates finished second and fifth in the races, alongside Christopher Mies.

Ruled out for the remainder of the season, Emery is making solid progress with his recovery which has left him eyeing a return early next year.

He is set to undergo a further operation in October to remove screws and a metal plate from his back.

“I’m getting much better now. I’m up and about and the recovery is going really well,” Emery told Speedcafe.com.

“I’m wearing a back brace for the next couple of weeks and then the physiotherapy will start.

“I’m also having monthly scans so the doctors are able to keep an eye on the progress on the spine.

“It is certainly good to be able to get out of the house.

“Watching on at Townsville made me want to get back out there again. Tony (Bates) obviously did a great job. I’m definitely missing it for sure.

“I probably could drive something at the end of the year, but I think I’m better to hang back until the start of next year.”

Although yet to finalise his exact return, Emery has begun discussions with Audi Customer Racing Australia regarding a possible run at next year’s Bathurst 12 Hour (February 3-5).

“Bathurst came up when I was with the Audi boys at the weekend,” he added.

“We will see where that ends up. I haven’t done it for a few years so it would be good to have a run in a solid car.”