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A Listener production.
Recently on the short cast, we've had Tabitha Rambro's AFL legend Brad Johnson
about his son Jack's pursuit of motorsport.
Today, it's a third-generation racer with a really cool story too.
Hi everyone, Rusty here at Queensland Raceway with another of the family stories
that you find so many of in the paddock.
Shortly, to ride a Quinn first, a little mention of our most recent feature episode
with Michael Dowson, the Australian motorcycle racing legend of the 80s and early 90s.
Little thank you to Paul Stubber too, who commented on our Facebook promo for this episode
about how the Geograph Motor Museum in Bunbury in Western Australia has lots of Dowson memorabilia.
So you can check that out if ever you're over that way.
Our podcast is a two-parter with him, two hours of conversation.
We cover so many aspects of his career from his brilliance at Bathurst,
to wheeling down Conrod, and that is before they built the chase,
to helping open doors for Mick Dewan and two-wheeling a Corolla through Hell Corner
after taking part in a Toyota Star Search competition.
The picture of that moment became the centerpiece of a major marketing campaign.
Whether you're a two- or four-wheel fan, you will really enjoy that episode.
My guest today I've had a bit to do with in recent years when he contested the Toyota Racing series
as we affectionately call it in New Zealand as a then 17-year-old.
Since he's raced in Porsche Carrera Cup, he's a winner now in the ultra-competitive GT4 class
as a part of the Shannon Speed series.
He also turned heads at Bathurst at the beginning of the year
as part of a history-making family entry at the 12-hour,
with a lap time in final practice that made all the big names sit up and take note.
A two-minute 2.577.
Absolutely brilliant.
That whole story, incidentally, is part of three generations tackling the mountain together,
the Queens, and that is going to be in a forthcoming documentary
that I'll tell you more about in the months ahead.
Now in his early 20s, Ryder has been signed to the BMW M Racing Academy
and has just returned, in fact, from a special trip to Europe.
He literally landed on Friday morning at the race meeting where we recorded this Queensland Raceway
owned by his grandfather, Popeye, as he calls him, Tony Quinn,
who's been a regular on our pod.
Thank you to Alastair, Alyssa, and all of the team at Wade Group
for allowing us to use their beautifully appointed motorsport transporter to record this one, too.
Hope you enjoy getting to know Ryder Quinn a little more.
Hello, Ryder Quinn.
Hello, sir.
They're doing the podium literally outside here at Queensland Raceway.
We can see outside the beautiful Wade Motorsport.
Mum, this is amazing, this motorhome that we're in.
You are literally often in here, aren't you?
It really, really is nice.
And Alyssa and Paul and Emma, my partner, are Thunderbodies.
We've been super fortunate that they've sort of given us the keys in some sort of way
and said, oh, if you ever want to come in for a beverage or just chill out,
you can use the space and trust me, it's definitely a very nice space.
Ordinarily, you'd love to be there, mate, with a little bit of champagne.
What's the weekend been like here?
This is home turf for you for Thunderbodies racing.
Can you tell me about the weekend here and what's the report count on it generally?
Yeah, I mean, definitely you can't win them all.
I think this is the first weekend of GT4 racing that we haven't been able to achieve a podium,
which is a record.
It's not a very good one to get, but no, I think for us,
we may not have won on track, but definitely off track.
We definitely had a big, big, big turn out of supporters.
I mean, we had all our friends and family here.
And definitely that means more to us than any sort of trophy or win that we can get on track.
So definitely when we walked around the paddock,
we definitely saw the most Thunderbodies t-shirts on and around, and that was super special for us.
Where the heck does that come from, Thunderbodies?
What is that? Is there a story behind that?
Yeah, and probably I can't say too much.
But no, long story short, Steve, Zarko and I, we used to be scared of Thunder.
Well, Zarko and I, someone brother and I.
And basically we also all camp out when there was some lightning and some thunder.
And eventually we could have Thunderbodies off of that.
I don't even know how to describe that show.
And then basically at the start of the year, we're like,
oh, you know, let's run with Thunderbodies because Steve and I has always been quite close.
And yeah, I mean, we've been running it from there on in.
We're going to get some little teddies done, but I don't know if that's really appropriate.
For the people that are just joining the pod that may not know,
you are a third generation racer, your grandfather,
who I have a lot to do with in different capacities.
Tony Quinn, firstly, he got a bit of silverware here this weekend.
Oh my goodness. So good.
So good.
Like he gets out of the car and he's like, oh, I'm so slow.
Mate, you are not slow.
Like if he's going on 70, he was good in the dark.
I think two last night was incredible.
He's like, you know, we were going through some data and some vision with Steve
and Popeye gets down and he's like, oh, I was just feeling it.
I was just feeling how where to go and how to push.
And like that is that is a pure driver.
You know, like he has so much experience and, you know,
he definitely doesn't give himself enough credit for it.
Seriously, how good he is.
It's really cool.
I mean, I used to drive with him quite a lot and still do with the six hour and 12 hour this year.
But I mean, definitely being competitive, it's it's really cool.
You know, it's super nice.
I always go up when I'm on the dummy grid and whatnot and say,
have a chat and whatnot is my grandfather.
So it's super cool.
Like I can still share the truck with him.
I've done a couple of episodes of the short cast now,
which I kind of think of as these family or generational stories, right?
People that have come through the motorsport, not a pathway,
but have clearly been influenced by what's happened in a family sense.
I'm not going to spoil all of it because we have this wonderful documentary
coming up with Tony, with your dad, with your your uncle
and what you did at the Bathurst 12 hour this year, which I think is mighty.
But the fact that you've just you were around it since you were a little boy.
There are really cool photos of you with them at, I don't know,
events internationally and so on.
I mean, it just you fell in love with it from the get go, mate.
Didn't you? Yeah. Yeah.
I mean, and my sort of, you know, personally,
my career to date has been a little bit different compared to some other drivers.
You know, most drivers start off in karting very young.
I didn't do really too much of that.
I really started racing at 16, went straight into Formula Ford.
And then my, you know, my rate of the progression of learning,
like my learning curve has to be super, super sharp because of, you know,
I've just been thrown in, we're thrown into Cupcar, thrown into TRS.
Well, CTFrock previously TRS.
So, you know, that's been that whole sort of career to date.
And, you know, it's been an amazing journey.
And like you just touched on with the international events
that my father and grandfather and, you know, the team, Donnie, Harry
have all done together.
You know, this is going back 20 years.
You know, absolutely incredible.
I was just sat in the Nürburgring 24 hour and I went back through
and found the photos of me being two years old and being there
with Popeyes Helmut on next to dad.
And like absolutely incredible, you know, and going back there
was almost like a full circle moment.
I wasn't driving, but I'm still super special yet.
Still super special to, you know,
it's so awesome that my family has done so much.
And, you know, we can all share this sport and love for the sport together.
It's really cool.
Just quickly share for me.
I don't know if I've heard that story before when you got to whatever it was
15 or 16 there and you decided to have a have a crack at it.
What how did that conversation go?
Was that you to your dad? Was it to Popeye?
Was it like, I want to have what happened there?
Yeah. So I played football soccer.
Are you watching the World Cup and stuff at the moment?
Are you? No, no, no.
I've been I've been I need some sleep now.
No, but so I played soccer for 10 years.
And then we sort of had a few test days in an Aussie car with Popeye.
We're like, oh, you know what?
Maybe this would actually be kind of cool.
I've always sort of wanted to, but and then I got injured and whatever that all happened.
So and then we were like, OK, let's go do Aussie car.
And then my dad, actually, we had like this little this little education fund.
He called it, which, you know, if we wanted to learn about something,
we'll do any courses or anything for our development.
We could go to him and say, hey, you know, let's go do this.
And basically we sort of stretch the the lines a little bit.
And he a part of the education fund, we could do a test.
So Brett Francis has always been within the family and family motorsport.
So we had a test with Brett in a formal forward.
And, you know, that was a really, really good thing.
And then that's what kicked off the formal forward side.
And, you know, if I didn't do formal forward with Brett Francis,
I don't think that my progression would have been as it has because you learn so much.
Yes, learn so much, especially compared to what we most likely would have done,
which would have been more so a hobby side.
You know, Brett definitely helped help a lot.
And, you know, another companion family companion that is in the same paddock.
He's next door. It's just super special.
So yeah, that's how I sort of got into motorsport properly.
And then, yeah, formal forward state series national.
And then went to TRS and Cupcar.
Did you feel pressure because, you know, you granddad had done
some incredibly successful things in business and then his own motorsport CV.
He downplays it a little bit, but from Targas to you name it.
I mean, I mean, and then your dad was reminded this year at the Bathurst 12 hour.
How damn handy he is as a steering and walls when you were growing up and stuff as well.
So, I mean, did you feel that? Were you or was it just you were always
got this beautiful smile? Were you just able to just enjoy it and get into it?
Yeah, that was the biggest thing.
I mean, to be honest, if I'm being honest, I didn't fully appreciate
until I've gotten a little bit older.
How much my family has actually done.
You know, and it's super, super special that I now can sort of step back and
realize that because it's it's really, really cool.
What they've been able to do and achieve.
And, you know, dad, he was a what three time AGT champion.
And that's back in the day when AGT was big and, you know, there was European
guys coming over, Chris Mees, like the Audi's, the Mac, like,
quality, quality, absolutely incredible.
And he was beating those guys.
He went to Portionata Champions.
Amazing. Like that's incredible.
Yeah. You know, and it's super special.
I mean, especially living it now or living it, you know, to a certain degree
makes me appreciate that how much, you know, so much more because I know
how challenging is to get invited to those things.
I like that. I think they're closing the tailgate here,
but this time because they're wrapping things up at Queensland Raceway.
Your dad has this beautiful nature about him, but he I feel like he puts
a lot of like expectation or something.
He wants to deliver when he's in a race car, even though he's off doing
business and other things when he gets in and he gets the chance to enjoy that.
Is that something you share with him or are you different in nature?
No, I definitely.
So we're going back to the to the Winton test before 12 hour.
This is December last year. Yes, yes, yes, yes.
That was really one of the first times that we've properly worked together.
That's amazing.
That's the first time we've ever shared a car, car.
Did you pause and appreciate that?
That's pretty. Yeah, that was awesome.
And, you know, that was it was funny because I went to Popeye and said
it was the first time that we've ever worked together.
Dad went to Popeye and said it's the first time.
He posted the exact same thing, which is which is really, really cool.
Super cool. And yeah, I mean, seeing how analytical he is, it shows.
How he can be so successful in business, even from a motorsport
standpoint, just so, you know, how analytical and how he can process things.
That was really, really awesome to see.
And that was those really, really, you know, something that I took away.
And yeah, really appreciated.
So, you know, it was super cool when, you know,
Dad's turned a big page from, you know, who he was and what he was 10 years ago
when he was back in a car.
Definitely the last few years has has really been love and life,
which is which is really awesome. Super cool.
And I'm super happy for.
Yeah. The family, mate, whether I look at your your uncle and what he's done,
certainly, certainly Popeye, your grandfather, Tony Quinn, your dad.
And I think this has come quite naturally, probably towards you as well.
You all have work ethic, right?
So I feel like you, which we'll get to in a moment,
you have the chance now to work with a big name German manufacturer.
You have a great opportunity there potentially and so on.
But there has been a want and probably an even an expectation to still work.
Hasn't they told me about that?
Yeah, I mean, I've never I've never done motorsport as full time thing.
I've always been working straight out of school.
I've been in, you know, family businesses and doing that.
And, you know, I flew in on on Friday from from Europe with BMW.
And then Monday tomorrow, I'm straight up back at work.
I'll be at the workshop at 530 in the morning.
You're a jet lag. You're tired.
I'm so tired. Shut up, bros. Let's finish this.
I don't know. But, you know, it just it just shows.
Yeah, it's sort of in our blood, the motorsports in our blood,
but also, you know, working hard.
Yeah, I really try to work hard because if you don't work hard,
you know, off track, then all this on track stuff doesn't really happen.
So, you know, that's how I've sort of grown up.
And and it gives me a bit of an edge, you know, I find anyway, I don't know if this
if it's just because I tell myself this or not.
But, you know, when we go away for fitness camps
and we have to push ourselves to the absolute max, you know,
being in a gym isn't as bad as waking up at 431 a.m.
Going to site, you know, lifting stuff and digging holes.
And, you know, it's going to gym.
So, you know, these guys are struggling.
And for me, I get to be my element.
I get to really push and love it.
I really enjoy it because I don't get to do it.
You know, I get to live that dream because I don't live it every day.
So, you know, I have a big appreciation for being on a racetrack
and, you know, really pushing myself around motorsport.
Because, yeah, you know, I really enjoy it when I get to do that.
You have this nature, mate, that just oozes positivity.
I very rarely see you without a massive smile on your face.
I know you've done some international travel to some parts of it that you may have.
If memory serves, I went with my wife to Nepal when when
many, many years ago now, pre kids, I think you might have done a little bit of that.
You enjoy that stuff, too, don't you?
Yeah, it's good.
I mean, and actually a big realisation that I've had this year
and I've gone away and done a few trips by myself to Europe and whatnot.
But it's just how how much I value having my family and friends with me.
You know, I don't really I don't want to go away and travel by myself.
I want to be able to share that experience with other people and people that I love,
which, you know, is a realisation that I've only had recently,
which, which, you know, I quite I quite like.
And I'm glad that, you know, I don't want to go spend
X amount of time by myself.
You know, I want to be able to share that with with family and friends.
And I'm very family orientated.
I love them. I love everyone to bits.
So it's super awesome.
Stay with us more from Ryder Quinn right after this here on Rusty's Garage.
This is our motorsport brief, another next gen episode with a racer on their own journey,
but from a family who aren't all pro races, but rather successful business people
that have made quite a mark in our sport.
And Ryder Quinn picked up the generational love for it at a very young age,
but he didn't get behind the wheel until his teens.
Let's get back to the chat now.
Some motor racing things to finish this the short cast, mate.
I've only done a short cast with you only because I feel like you have so many more
chapters yet to write in your career.
Firstly, Josie Spelan spoke to me in the lead up to this.
And she reminded me about a helmet that you presented or had painted
and it left Popeye pretty speechless, didn't it?
Tell me, was that T.R.S. was that was that CT front?
Where was that?
And tell me about it, what the paint scheme was and his reaction when you when you did that?
Yeah, so this was this was for the for the Bathurst 12 hour.
Oh, fantastic. Sorry.
Yeah, yeah, no, of course.
So I sort of had the idea that, you know, let's all go and get our helmets purple.
You know, the car was going to be purple, Popeye's favorite color.
You know, and also there was a little message on there.
You know, he loves Buzz Lightyear.
So I went and I got dad's helmet done, Kent got his helmet done.
I got my helmet done and I got Popeye's helmet done.
And without anyone knowing, without Popeye knowing,
and presented it to him at the T.R.S. round.
So that's that's where the T.R.S. bit came in.
And and yeah, I had a little message on there.
It was to infinity and beyond, you know, because of the Buzz Lightyear theme.
And yeah, I think that that that quote, that saying exemplifies Popeye.
Totally.
Like, I don't think you can sum it up any better than to infinity and beyond.
I think that's super special.
And he was definitely, you know, speechless, speechless, which is nice
because, you know, you don't really see that from him, which is, yeah,
it's super special to be able to see that side of him.
Last September, I think it was around the father's day weekend.
You and I are at the Ben Motorsport Park in South Australia.
You, the Thunderbodies team, you were just talking about at the top of the podcast
and stuff, you have this unbelievable weekend there, mate.
And I feel like it was a bit of an arrival moment in some respects.
Take me back there.
Was the stuff that you are now doing with BMW, was that already in the works?
Or did that help seal that that weekend was was really significant for you,
mate? I feel, yeah.
I mean, definitely firstly, that was the weekend where Popeye said,
you know, let's give us a go for 12 hours.
So that's already a massive.
I don't get whatever else anybody else thinks that was, you know,
that came from that weekend.
But no, I mean, personally, as a race weekend for me,
Father's Day to share the color Steve, that was pretty special.
And yeah, I mean, we came from 24th to winning outright.
I felt super comfortable.
You know, this car is so good.
The BMW M4 GT4 is so, so good.
It gives me so much confidence.
And yeah, I mean, it was sort of we're in our element there.
And yeah, we took out the overall win.
And then basically we had that the application period came up about the BMW M
Racing Academy and we applied.
We got shortlisted.
Then we went over to Munich, done the assessment center through there.
So physical training.
We went through all the facilities, the BMW facilities, which is super awesome.
And there, you know, I got a call from from Björn one night.
I saw a plus 49 number.
Who's this?
This might be good.
This might be good.
You know, it was like nine o'clock or something.
And we're now we're making dinner and he told us the news and that was that was super special.
And that's been the start of the of the what an incredible journey and an opportunity
it has been being able to work with BMW Motorsport
and work so closely with the drivers, the teams, the personnel.
It's a big family in that in that manufacturer.
It's super, super cool.
I really enjoy it.
So, yeah, no, look, that's a super, super big opportunity that I'm
you know, I'm really, really, really trying to maximize,
you know, across the N24, the book and 24 hour weekend.
I had had an hour and a half sleep in the engineering room.
So it was pretty, pretty cool.
So now it was awesome to complete this.
Thank you, man. I know you're tired.
Firstly, we saw some BMW executives at the Bathurst 12 hour.
They're really good to let you go and do this family thing, which is so important
with all four, you know, your dad, your uncle, your grandfather
and you all running this Audi with Melbourne Performance Center at the 12 hour.
In practice, mate, you do this time that lights up the monitor.
Granddad ends up in tears.
The hot like there are some seriously good
Australian and European operators that are at this race and everyone goes,
tell me about that lap.
Yeah, how that felt. That was damn cool.
I got I actually have chills now right now.
Thinking about it. Is that what you're doing?
Yeah, you know, that was cool.
Yeah, I know it was it was probably a dream and the family's dream.
And I definitely appreciated everyone being there.
What was the number? Tell me. Can you remember the number?
I can't remember.
But, you know, for me personally, as an Aussie,
my goal in most would is to become a GT three factor driver.
So to be at Australia's almost Australia's biggest event.
Yes. And it's so widely internationally known
that that event is there.
And, you know, for me, that was so awesome.
And I enjoyed that lap in the qualifying lap.
It's so much. And yeah, getting out of the car.
I saw Popeye crying. I'm like, Holy moly, everyone's given claps.
And that was again, chills.
Chill. I love it.
So, so cool.
And something that I'll definitely hold on to forever.
You know, that was that was such a cool moment to finish.
And you've half taken me there, mate.
How old are you now?
And is are we talking no but during 24 hours and spa and whatever else?
Is that the thing? Or would you still maybe like to maybe one day do a bath as 1000?
Like, what's the dream in that sense for you?
Yeah, GT stuff, GT racing.
It's never really been a goal or a dream of mine to race supercars.
I mean, obviously the 1000 super awesome.
And and actually I drove the red bull,
the red bull V8 the other day at Highlands.
Shane Van Gisburg and Bathurst winning car.
Yeah, the command.
And that was that was extremely fun.
That that was really, really cool.
But no, it's it's always been GT racing for for me.
And, you know, I guess it stems from what my family's done.
And, you know, I would I would love nothing more than to be able to go to
never growing 24 hour and compete in that and, you know, Dubai 24, where they want it.
Yes. You know.
And to be able to do that, whether we whatever capacity that looks like,
whether it's another, you know, Q family event or something like that,
that would be pretty special.
But no, you know, that's always been a dream for me.
And that's definitely the goal going forward.
And I mean, who knows if BMW works out, then then that would be pretty awesome.
And I'd love to share that that goal of mine and dream of mine with the BMW family,
because they've definitely looked after me.
Very cool. It's been nice to shoot the breeze with you about this.
I feel like you have some great stuff in the pipeline, mate.
I love the positivity.
It is always a joy to catch up with you, keep being you, mate, and and enjoy.
Thanks for chatting with us today.
Thanks very much. Thank you.
He is fantastic.
Isn't he that smile, that wide smile of his literally goes right down the microphone
and it's infectious.
We will try while we're on the subject of these generational sports people
to track down Ace Buckley, too.
He's Nathan Buckley's son, but he's gone the motor racing path rather than
AFL like his legendary dad.
Ace is now part of the Walk and Shore TWG Junior Program.
Keep an eye out for our next feature episode two that I'm actually recording later today
with Bathurst winner and former Super 2 champion, Todd Hazerwood.
That will be a beauty.
We'll catch you next time. Bye for now.
About this episode
Ryder Quinn—third-generation racer—talks with Rusty at Queensland Raceway about growing up in a motorsport family and building his own path through Formula Ford, Toyota Racing Series, Porsche Carrera Cup, and now GT4 success with the Shannon Speed program. He shares how his grandfather Tony “Popeye” Quinn stays competitive, plus the family’s upcoming documentary covering three generations tackling the mountain together. Ryder also reflects on switching from soccer to racing, the role of mentorship (including Brett Francis), and the weekend’s winless result that still felt like a victory thanks to massive Thunderbodies supporter turnout.
Original notes
We recorded this one with the final podium of the weekend underway for the Speed Series round at Queensland Raceway and pack down starting.
Ryder Quinn is only in his early 20’s but is now part of the BMW M racing academy.
He has the trademark Quinn family work ethic away from the track but has been round the sport since before he could walk.
Ryder’s late start in the sport, how it came about and the huge learning curve he’s been on since then.
A special helmet he made for his Grandfather, Tony Quinn, that left ‘Popeye’ as Ryder calls him speechless.
The GT4 race that really put him on the map after charging through the field with fastest lap after fastest lap.
And going to Bathurst for a history making family 12hour entry and how Ryder wowed the gun internationals with his performance.
It’s the latest in our shortcasts that tackle the Next Gen and the early part of their own journey in Motorsport.
Head to Rusty's Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and give us your feedback and let us know who you want to hear from on Rusty's Garage
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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