Buoyed Mostert out to make amends on ‘home’ turf

GUTTED to have missed last year’s Gold Coast 600, Chaz Mostert wants to make amends this time around by snapping a 14-month victory drought.

A horror Bathurst smash forced Mostert to sit out the rest of the 2015 season. He has gradually returned to form this year and is keen to continue that trend in what will be his first home event on the Glitter Strip.

The Logan-raised Ford prodigy lived in Melbourne for four years before relocating to the Coast late last year.

“You treat it as a bit of a home round,” Mostert said of the Gold Coast 600.

“It’s not like we get to race on the track whenever we can – it only comes around once a year so it’s pretty fresh for everyone – but I think for me it’s good to be able to sleep in my own bed at this event.”

Mostert said his absence from the 2015 edition would make him even hungrier to deliver a big result now.

“I was gutted I missed this event last year,” he said.

“The off-track is so exciting and the on-track is so exciting so I’m just pumped to make it this year … 26 guys, it’s going to be a bit of a war out there but I’m looking forward to it.”

The 2014 Bathurst champion has recovered well from a slow start to the season, when he slipped to as low as 22nd in the standings, but is still chasing his first win since August last year.

Mostert joined Supercars rival Rick Kelly in trading petrol power for wind power on the Broadwater yesterday, jumping aboard an Extreme 40 racing catamaran owned by Gold Coast former driver Tony Longhurst.