Australia's Ford V8 driver Mark Winterbottom is banking on adrenalin acting as a natural painkiller when he competes in this weekend's season-opening Clipsal 500 in Adelaide with a broken leg.
Winterbottom will be nursing his healing off-season waterskiing injury through tomorrow's qualifying, and gruelling 250km street races on Saturday and Sunday.
30-year-old Winterbottom had considered sitting out the opening round, but he's decided to compete because a good start's essential if he's to win a maiden V8 championship.
