Amazing Comeback Victory For K&N-Supported 2017 Australian GT Championship Winner

After a devasting crash ended his 2016 season, Geoff Emery came back to win 2017 Champsionship

It wasn’t the sort of crash that you see in a highlights reel. There was no barrel roll or pirouetting on the nose of the car. Instead, on the opening lap of round 8 of the 2016 Australian GT Championship Geoff Emery’s Audi R8 LMS was in a tussle with a group of cars when he was nudged off track.

Normally that sort of incident would result in only the loss of a few positions. But the steering arm of his Audi had been damaged after contact with a Lamborghini. That sent Emery over the large curb at turn seven of Barbagallo Raceway in Perth. Once Emery struck the curb it sent him head-on into a lightly-protected and immoveable barrier. The race was red flagged and Emery has to be extricated through the rescue hatch in the roof of his Audi.

Once out of the car Emery complained of back pain and was rushed to the Royal Perth Hospital where physicians confirmed that he’d fractured his L1 vertebra and could expect to be out of the driver’s seat for some time. 10 months, as it turned out.

An ebullient Emery (center) after his Australian GT championship-clinching win at Sandown

After surgery, rehab, and plenty of exercise, Emery was fit and prepared to take on the 2017 Australian GT season in the Valvoline Jamec Pem-sponsored Melbourne Performance Centre-run Audi R8 LMS, equipped with K&N filters, rejoining the team with which he competed for the opening three events of 2016.

Emery was on course to challenge for the 2016 championship, taking three pole positions in three races prior to his accident. If fully recovered he figured to be a front-runner again in 2017.

As expected Emery picked up where he left off with two poles and three wins heading into the final round. The last event was held at the historic Sandown circuit, not far from Emery’s home. Five drivers headed into the weekend with a mathematical chance of winning the championship, with drivers in Audi, Lamborghini, Porsche, and AMG-Mercedes in contention.

Emery leads the field at Sandown, winning the race and capturing the Australian GT Championship

Typical Australian understatement, as Emery was second in points, trailing Liam Talbot by just 28 points. Finishing just a few positions ahead of Talbot in each of the three races that weekend would easily hand Emery the championship.

Eager to settle things quickly Emery took a win in the first race, thereby clinching the championship. It is the first Australian GT Championship for the Queenslander. “I came into this weekend pretty casual, to be honest,” Emery told Audi Sport. “It was Liam’s championship to lose.”