A long recovery awaits Chaz Mostert with the Ford gun finally leaving hospital in the wake of his horror Bathurst 1000 qualifying crash.
However, his Ford Prodrive Racing outfit says the recovering V8 Supercars star will still be a factor when they look to seal the teams championship at this weekend's Gold Coast 600.
Melbourne-based Mostert has been flown to Brisbane to complete his recovery with his father Eddie after nine days in Orange Base Hospital nursing a broken leg and wrist.
Mostert was injured in a spectacular Bathurst 1000 qualifying crash that also hurt three track-side officials.
He was airlifted to Orange on October 9 and had a pin inserted in his left leg.
His stay was extended four days when his leg injury required a second operation last week.
"So I made it in Brisbane," Mostert wrote on Facebook.
"A big thanks to all the transfer crews and Orange Hospital for putting up with me, now to chuck some shorts and flip flops on and start healing."
Mostert might be ruled out for the rest of the season but Prodrive Racing boss Tim Edwards says they are pumped to honour the youngster with a Gold Coast 600 win.
The team's No.1 driver - and V8 series leader - Mark Winterbottom attempted to salute Mostert with a Bathurst 1000 win but was relegated to second by six-time champion Craig Lowndes.
"If nothing else, they probably want to deliver a race win for Chaz," Edwards told the V8supercars website.
"Everyone is pumped to go to the Gold Coast with the team championship also on our minds."
Prodrive Racing holds a 718-point lead over Holden's Red Bull Racing in the teams' standings with four rounds left.
And Winterbottom has a 399-point lead over nearest rival, Red Bull's Lowndes, in the drivers' championship.
"After the Gold Coast, you know whether you are in or out of the championships," Lowndes told V8supercars.com.au
"Frosty (Winterbottom) has a little points gap and we want to close that down.
"After the Gold Coast, you don't have too many opportunities or rounds to try and run him down.
"We just have to have a good clean run through the Gold Coast."
Veteran Russell Ingall will take Mostert's seat at the Gold Coast 600, partnering Cameron Waters in the year's final enduro.
Ingall, 51, will become the first man in Australian touring car/V8 Supercars history to contest 250 rounds.
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