Sprintcar driver grabs opportunity to return 'with both hands'

McCullagh made his driving return during Max's Race at Premier Speedway on Saturday, December 16, 2023 after signing with Kevin's Transport to drive the V90 this summer.

The 32-year-old, who ceased running his own racing team in January 2023, hopes the deal could be a long-term arrangement but is taking it one race at a time.

"I didn't think this is what we'd be doing but here we are," McCullagh told The Standard from the pits on Saturday.

"Obviously it's only night one, it's only early.

"But the main thing is the classic and Aussie titles this year."

The 2018 Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic winner admitted there were several reasons behind his decision to wrap up his own operation.

"I was a bit burnt out last year owning my own team so I sold everything, had a personal change at work," he said.

"(I've) got a young boy now so that's changed a few things."

McCullagh, who links up with a team headed by Melbourne-based owner Kevin Moore, said it was Hamilton-based sprintcar driver Dane Court's idea which got him back behind the wheel.

"They've just let me build what I want," he said.

"It's pretty good, I'm pretty much teammates with Dane - same car, same equipment.

"Hopefully we can just bounce off each other, I can teach him a few things and we can just learn and grow and have fun at the end of the day."

McCullagh is excited about the quality of races in front of him with his next events at Avalon and Simpson on December 26 and 27.

"December-January is my favourite part of the year - the races get better so I'm anxious to get out there and see how we go," he said.

"It's going to be super tough - the calibre of drivers here is pretty crazy."

McCullagh, whose ambition at the start of Max's Race was to make the A-Main, enjoyed a promising return in his first event back.

He finished second in his heat to qualify for the eight-lap dash though a wing collapse sidelined him before the race for pole position.

Starting eighth in the A-Main, McCullagh avoided the carnage that befell half the field to finish sixth.