KEITH Kassulke has no qualms about racing on at Mount Panorama after his latest crash there in the Combined Sportscars and Sedans support category at last weekend’s Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour.
The Papua New Guinea and Australian national was at the wheel of his MARC II Mustang when he had a similar crash to Chaz Mostert’s highly publicised 2015 accident, albeit without contact with the marshal’s post.
It was just Kassulke’s second lap on Friday and sidelined he and his car from the rest of the event.
“This one was definitely my fault,” he said.
“I touched the wall on the right side on the way down to Forrest’s Elbow, which speared me across to the left wall and a huge impact.
“Then, being somewhat stunned, my foot went off the brake to the throttle pedal, which of course hastened the short trip to the wall where the impact speed was upwards of 210km/h.”
Kassulke was taken to the trackside medical centre and, after checks by the expert medical team, was then transported to Orange Hospital for scans. He was able to return to the track late in the afternoon.
The MARC II machines were front runners at Bathurst in the Combined Sportscars and Sedans. Photo: Ross Gibb.
“It was my first (actual) crash,” said Kassulke of the accident, which came in his second year of racing in the support class after eight appearances in the main Bathurst 12 Hour field.
“The past two incidents at the Mountain have involved mechanical failure.”
Kassulke’s previous incidents on the Mountain included a crash in the Chase during practice for the 2023 12 Hour where he was to codrive a MARC II with Hadrian Morrall and Cameron McLeod in the Invitational class.
Brake failure launched the car over the kerbs towards the tyre barriers and it ended up on its roof after significant contact with the wall. He was conscious throughout, communicated with the recovery team and suffered no major injuries.
“But this one was definitely my fault,” he surmised. “I tagged the wall twice then hit the accelerator instead of the brake pedal. I was passed out by that stage.”
He feels no trepidation about a return to racing at Mount Panorama in the future.
“Ten years ago, the fiery incident in an Ascari GT3 at Phillip Island slowed me for a bit. But I have been able to return to racing even at that circuit where memories still remain of that section of the circuit.”
Kassulke will now focus on competing in the Motorcraft Mustang Cup Australia in the car he campaigned in the Le Mans 24 Hour support races last year.
Early testing though will have to wait as his licence is suspended whilst he undergoes mandatory Motorsport Australia concussion protocols.
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