V8 ace Lowndes to undergo surgery

V8 Supercars veteran Craig Lowndes is set to undergo surgery after breaking his collarbone during a recreational motorbike accident.

Lowndes sustained the injury after falling from his bike during a ride with family and friends on Sunday.

The 41-year-old’s surgery is expected to speed up his recovery and ensure he’s ready to drive when the V8 Supercars season gets underway in Adelaide on March 3.

Lowndes will however pull out of next month’s Bathurst 12-hour event.

“Obviously I’m very disappointed to be missing the 12-hour but my focus is on being fully recovered and ready to go for the V8 Supercar season, which I am on course to do,” Lowndes said.

The injury will cause some disruption for Lowndes, as he tries to get ready for a new year in a new car.

The reigning Bathurst 1000 winner will be racing a Team Vortex-branded Holden Commodore for 2016 as Triple Eight Race Engineering expand to a three-team outfit with Shane Van Gisbergen joining Jamie Whincup in the Red Bull Racing stable.

One V8s star who will take on the Bathurst 12-hour race is Nissan’s Rick Kelly, who’ll team up with Japan’s Katsumasa Chiyo and German Florian Strauss for the endurance event.

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