JUST over a month after Steve Richards’ bid for a fifth Bathurst 1000 title was ended by a gear lever, the motor sport star will be back at Mount Panorama to chase glory once more.
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Richards will compete in the Lightning Super Sprint at the inaugural Challenge Bathurst, a four-day event which runs from November 24-27.
The invitational sprint sees competitors split into three groups of 40 cars for eight sessions of 20 minutes.
Richards will compete in Group B in a BMW M6 GT3 as he looks to get valuable track time ahead of next year’s Bathurst 12 Hour.
It will also be a chance for put the disappointment of this year’s Bathurst 1000 behind him.
Defending champions Richards and Craig Lowndes had their bid for back-to-back wins effectively come to an end on lap 35.
While running just outside the top 10, Richards was forced to pit as the Red Bull Racing Holden was stuck in sixth gear. The problem was fixed, but the pair ended up five laps down in 16th.
"At the point of our problem with the gear lever, we were somewhere near the [winning] Tekno car, so maybe we could have been somewhere up there, but that's the way it goes sometimes,” Richards said afterwards.
Richards will not be the only driver taking part in the Lightning Super Sprint given that it gives GT teams a chance to collect data before the 12 Hour.
Tony Longhurst – who will drive for Richards at the February enduro – lines up in Group B, as does Andrew Miedecke (Aston Martin Vantage GT).
