Olympic and Pan Pacific 200m backstroke champion Tyler Clary is angling for a motorsport career when his top level swimming career finishes.

After recently claiming the full set of medals at the Gold Coast Pan Pacific Championships, Clary was invited to drive V8 Supercars’ official drive experience car at the Performance Driving Centre at Norwell.

Clary was reportedly only a second off a time clocked by Dunlop Series driver Andre Heimgartner.

The American, who lives at Charlotte, the hub of NASCAR in North Carolina, is determined to make a transition to a professional racing driver following the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

“At the moment, I’m looking at either NASCAR or the IndyCar route,” he said. “IndyCar’s Road to Indy ladder system is very strong.”

Clary says there is real appeal to concentrate on breaking into IndyCar with its elaborate and cohesive feeder classes.

“There is a real focus on bringing more American drivers into IndyCar and to be an American Olympic gold medallist that races cars definitely lends itself to potentially opening some doors,” he said.

“I’m looking to retire from swimming at the end of the Rio Olympics in two years time and then concentrate on building a career in motorsports – both sports are something that I’ve been around my whole entire life.”

After sampling a taste of Australian sedans at the 2.1km Norwell circuit, Clary now harbours a passion for the V8 Supercars.

“V8 Supercars is a definite option for me, I would love to come down to Australia more often and race,” he said.

“I would obviously look to go through some of the feeder categories, but it has been great to get a taste of it here at the V8 Supercars Official Driving Experience.”