13 July 2016 |

KASSULKE SET FOR TOURING CAR MASTERS RETURN AT QR

A TOURING CAR Masters favourite is set to return to the category at the Coates Hire Ipswich SuperSprint next weekend in Queensland.

Keith Kassulke will make an extremely welcome return to TCM competition at the Ipswich circuit just ten months after a car fire whilst testing his GT car at Phillip Island late last year saw him badly burned.

It’s set to be one of the best stories of the Rare Spares Queensland round as the long-time TCM competitor is also reunited with the car in which he made his debut in the category – his Outbound Racing HQ Monaro GTS. 

In an inspirational story of recovery and preserving despite his serious injuries Kassulke returned to the track earlier this year racing a MARC Cars Australia Ford Focus in endurance races both in Australia and overseas.

He recently finished on the podium in the recent Australian GT Trophy round in Sydney and will this week head to Europe for more testing with the MARC Cars team before returning for the June 22-24 Supercars round in Ipswich.

Kassulke is a two-time TCM race winner and will make his return to the category at the scene of his most recent start in the category almost exactly twelve months ago.

“It’s a bit daunting getting back behind the wheel of the Monaro after racing the MARC Cars Ford Focus but it will be nice to be back with my friends in the Touring Car Masters paddock†said Kassulke who will arrive in Australia from testing overseas just prior to the Ipswich event.

“I have been slowly working my way back into racing after last year and I will take the same approach with the Monaro – I will just ease back into it and try and enjoy it.â€Â

Driving his Ford Falcon XB Coupe Kassulke qualified fifth and finished sixth in race one at Queensland raceway last year – however was involved in a nasty crash on the opening lap of the second race that saw his Falcon sadly written off.

The Brisbane driver however retained his the HQ Monaro in which he made his TCM debut and will race that next weekend.

QR is one of Kassulke’s most successful ever venues – scoring his maiden TCM pole position there in 2013 and finishing second outright to John Bowe the same year. He also finished third overall the year before.

“We are thrilled to welcome Keith back to TCM and will be doing everything we can to make him feel like he’d never been away†TCM’s Tony Hunter said.

“Keith is a great story – a guy who jumped into the category without much experience and continued to improve and improve to the point where he was a regular frontrunner.

“But perhaps more importantly he really enjoyed his racing in the category so we’re really pleased he has decided to come back at Queensland Raceway.â€Â

The full entry list for the Rare Spares Queensland Tourist trophy will be released later this week.