A return to Mount Panorama next year is on the cards for two-time MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner, but only in a 4WD towing a caravan.
He has opted to take a 12-month sabbatical driving around the country with his family rather than extend his stint in the V8 Supercars second tier category in 2014 despite leaving Bathurst with some unfinished business.
Stoner was left to watch Sunday's Bathurst 1000 wondering what might have been after he became yet another big name scalp for the notorious mountain.
A sub-plot to the weekend's 161-lap epic was Stoner realising a childhood dream and tackling Bathurst in the Dunlop Series.
And at first Stoner looked like he would leave a happy man.
Backing up from a ninth placing in the opening race, Stoner had a maiden podium in his sights in the second on Saturday.
He passed Drew Russell to move into fourth before a safety car emerged in the 14-lap sprint.
But just as Stoner looked ready to reel in the pace setters, he glanced the wall under the tree at Reid Park on the re-start lap to finish with a dreaded DNF.
"It was a lot of fun and the car was fantastic," Stoner said.
"We had a lot more to show there but unfortunately I probably went into that corner a little too gingerly and it cost me."
It was an inglorious end what could be Stoner's last visit to Bathurst, for a race at least.
He may yet pass through again on four wheels as he travels around Australia next year with his young family.
He has also been quick to poor cold water on any speculation about a MotoGP return, despite flying to Japan to assist Honda testing in August.
The closest Stoner will get to two-wheeled action will be at next week's Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island where he will ride a lap of honour and also become the youngest rider to be recognised as a MotoGP legend in the Hall of Fame.
Stoner's much anticipated V8 stint has not quite reached the highs of his two-wheel career.
While his best placing has been fifth at Ipswich, he has only scraped into the top 20 eight times in 16 races to date, with two top-10 results.
He sits 20th in the 39-strong drivers standings.
Stoner will draw the curtain on his four wheel foray with Red Bull Racing at the Dunlop Series finale in Sydney in December.
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