Aussie Racing Cars driver Damien Flack says his horrific Bathurst crash has failed to dampen his will to race, vowing to make a competitive return next year.
The Queenslander sustained 12 broken ribs, a broken collarbone and a punctured lung in a sickening high speed crash on Conrod Straight.
Flack’s car completed a series of rolls before leaping the barriers and catching fire.
The crash was triggered when brother Adrian Flack nudged his rear bumper on Conrod Straight during Race 2 at Mount Panorama earlier last month.
Flack was airlifted to Liverpool hospital where he remained until two weeks ago when he was released to continue his convalescence at his Brisbane home.
Flack continues to fight soreness from his extensive internal injuries although he is already plotting a return to racing.
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Set to miss the final round of the season at Sydney’s Olympic Park in December, the experienced driver is aiming to undergo some testing before Christmas ahead of a return next season.
“My lungs have healed up but I still get short of air if I have a conversation,” Flack told Speedcafe.com.
“With broken ribs and a collarbone, there is really nothing you can do other than limit your movement.
“The pain hasn’t been that bad. It is one of those strange things if you don’t move you are not in pain. You are sore but not in pain.
“I was hoping to be back in the car within six weeks but I don’t think that is the case.
“It is not through not wanting to be but with the collarbone injury it is really taking a while.
“Once the bones get better I will get back in the car and cut some laps.
“I’m hoping that I will be more than right to do that in mid December.”
Flack says that watching the footage of the incident leaves him with a strange feeling.
“I have had some very big hits in my days but nothing like this. This was extreme,” he explained.
“It is strange watching it (the crash) back. The amount of people that said they were in tears watching it was incredible.
“After watching it I can understand the concern.
“We were getting smashed with RIP messages because they cut the footage the moment I caught on fire and the next time I came back on the screens I was wrapped in blue tarp.”
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