Timboon's Phil Lock to make return from injury at Simpson Speedway's All Star Challenge

It was enough motivation for Lock to make his long-awaited return from injury at Simpson Speedway's $15k All Star Challenge.

Lock, 48, suffered spinal injuries in a serious racing accident at Murray Bridge last March.

"It's taken a long time to decide whether to go again," Lock said. "There was a lot of factors that came into whether we would rebuild again."

The Timboon dairy farmer said work and family commitments - he and wife Nicole are expecting their second child in April - were the biggest factors behind his decision not to race as much this season.

But as time went on - and Simpson's All Star meeting got closer - the itch to return grew stronger for Lock to make his return in a race that held plenty of meaning.

"I made the decision to go again," he said.

"The race is very special. It's the All Star Challenge which has been running for 16 years. It's my home track, I've been there since I was a little kid.

"And there are three of us (John Vogels and Chris Solomon) who haven't missed this meeting. It didn't sit well with me that I'd miss that one."

The end result isn't too much of a concern for Lock, who is determined to enjoy the experience of being back around the speedway community.

He said Simpson Speedway was "like a second family" to him, with his parents Jim and Elaine also heavily involved at the track.

"To get back and immersed in that family again is a special thing," Lock said. "It will be very good to be back among that group of people."

Lock, whose initial recovery from his injuries lasted two-to-three months, is thankful for the amount of help he received on his farm this past year.

"It was very tough for the people on the farm, I became a very good kitchen window farmer," he said. "It was hard to watch everyone do my work but I appreciate everyone's help and assistance very much. I then got going again and was doing all my normal stuff again."

One benefit of Lock's lay off was the quality time spent with daughter Vera, 2. Lock said he was looking forward to racing in front of Vera on Saturday, who now has more understanding of the sport.

"She looks at pictures and says 'racing car' and 'daddy's car'," Lock said.

As for his future in the sport, Lock said he will pick and choose a few more races but conceded his career was nearing the end as the next generation of driver in his family looks to step up.

"I'd already set that I would retire at 50 which is next year," he said. "And I've got two nephews who are 16 and 15... they're very keen to continue with the sprintcar once they finish with their junior sedans."

His nephews Jayden Lock and Pary Das will be among the 10-car junior sedan invitational field at Simpson.

"The team is in good shape to continue. Uncle Phil is probably going to get booted pretty quick," Lock laughed.

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