Tony Quinn shares an emotional journey as he prepares to race at Bathurst with his sons Clarke and Kent, and grandson Ryder, marking a historic moment of three generations racing together. This episode dives into the personal significance of this bucket list project for Tony, who reflects on past racing experiences and the joy of family involvement in motorsport. The conversation highlights their relaxed approach to the race, prioritizing fun over competition, and the unique challenges they face as they gear up for this special event.
Tony Quinn is back on the pod to announce details of a Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 hour entry that spans three generations.
His pride for this history making moment is arguably greater than his incredible business successes or the big global Motorsport events he’s tackled over the years.
Next February the Quinn's will line up for the internationally acclaimed race at Mount Panorama. Tony, his sons Klark and Kent, as well as Grandson Ryder, who calls TQ Popeye!
Wait till you hear which car they’re going to use and some of the people on the team spinning spanners and calling the shots. There’s some seriously good operators among the friends who will don the mechanics overalls to share the moment with them.
Why Tony’s not making bold predictions about their chances and how it all came together. Plus his thoughts on Triple 8’s endurance campaign and some of the recent moves in the Supercars pit lane.
This is Tony Quinn but not like other eps of the pod he’s appeared in underscoring just how much it means that the family has come together for a project that means so much more to all of them than just a tick on their bucket list.
Rusty recorded this chat ahead of round 1 of the Next Gen NZ Championship this weekend at Hampton Downs which Tony & his team in New Zealand promote. There’s a strong Aussies vs Kiwis rivalry brewing too with GT3 and GT4 from Oz staging their final round of the season as a part of the event.https://nextgennz.co.nz/
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
"...the final round of the Shannon Speed Series from Australia with lots of GT3 and GT4 competitors heading over from Oz to take part."
GT4 is a type of race car that is a bit less powerful than GT3 cars. They are designed for racing but are usually easier for everyday drivers to handle.
GT4 is another class of racing cars that are similar to GT3 but typically have less power and fewer modifications. GT4 cars are often seen as more accessible for amateur racers compared to the more elite GT3 category.
"...the final round of the Shannon Speed Series from Australia with lots of GT3 and GT4 competitors heading over from Oz to take part."
GT3 is a type of race car that comes from regular cars but is specially made to be faster and better for racing. Many car brands make GT3 cars to compete in races.
GT3 refers to a class of racing cars that are based on production vehicles but modified for high-performance racing. The category is popular in various racing series, including the FIA GT Championship and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
"...about this brilliant Bathurst 12-hour plan, Tony, and why it means so much to you. Well, it's a bit of a story. I mean, it goes way back to when we were competing at, you know, Nurburgring, Dubai, and the Bathurst 12-hour..."
The Bathurst 12-hour is a long car race that takes place in Australia. It's famous for being tough and exciting, with many different types of cars competing.
The Bathurst 12-hour is an endurance race held annually at the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, Australia. It features a variety of sports cars and is known for its challenging layout and competitive field.
"...competing at, you know, Nurburgring, Dubai, and the Bathurst 12-hour as the VIP, Petfruits, Dada Lee, sort of team."
The Nürburgring is a well-known racetrack in Germany that many car manufacturers use to test their cars. It's famous for being very difficult and is loved by racing fans.
The Nürburgring is a famous motorsport complex in Germany, known for its challenging racetrack, particularly the Nordschleife, which is often referred to as the 'Green Hell.' It is a popular venue for testing and racing various cars.
"...except for this endurance thing. Because when you do endurance racing, it really is totally different to a circuit race or a rally or any of the other disciplines."
Endurance racing is a long-distance car racing event where cars race for several hours or even days. It's different from regular races because drivers have to think about how to keep their cars running well for a long time and work together as a team.
Endurance racing is a type of motorsport where teams compete over long distances or time periods, often lasting several hours or even days. The focus is on reliability, strategy, and teamwork, as drivers must manage their stamina and the car's performance over extended periods.
"...totally different to a circuit race or a rally or any of the other disciplines."
A circuit race is a type of car race that happens on a specific track designed for racing. Drivers go around the track multiple times, trying to finish as fast as possible.
A circuit race takes place on a closed track or circuit, where cars compete against each other over a set number of laps. This format emphasizes speed and skill, as drivers navigate turns and straights in a controlled environment.
"...we're going to drive the Carrera Cup car that we've got. Because look, I do have a brand new Mustang GT3 in the garage..."
The Porsche Carrera Cup is a racing series where all cars are the same model, specifically the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. This means that drivers compete based on their skills rather than the car's performance differences.
The Porsche Carrera Cup is a one-make racing series featuring the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. It provides a platform for drivers to compete in a controlled environment with identical vehicles, emphasizing driver skill over mechanical advantage.
"...I do have a brand new Mustang GT3 in the garage. But to be honest, it is so complicated and we don't have many spares for it."
The Mustang GT3 is a special version of the Ford Mustang made for racing. It's built to compete in a series where cars must meet certain rules and specifications to ensure fair competition.
The Mustang GT3 refers to a race-ready version of the Ford Mustang designed for GT3 racing, which is a popular category in sports car racing. These cars are modified for performance and adhere to specific regulations for competition.
"And we're going to hire an Audi because the Audi's have been round the mountain several times and they have several spare parts in case we need some."
Audi is a car brand from Germany that makes luxury cars. They are known for their high-quality vehicles and modern technology.
Audi is a German automotive manufacturer known for its luxury vehicles and advanced technology. The brand is part of the Volkswagen Group and has a reputation for quality and performance.
"...and they have several spare parts in case we need some. And Troy's going to look after us and stuff like that."
Spare parts are extra pieces that can be used to fix a car if something breaks. It's important to have these on hand to keep the car running smoothly.
Spare parts are components that can be replaced in a vehicle when they wear out or break. Having spare parts on hand is crucial for maintaining a vehicle's performance and reliability, especially during long trips or races.
"...we took the Nissan GT-R, which is automatic and it's everything else and I didn't need my left foot to drive it."
An automatic transmission is a type of car system that changes gears for you, so you don't have to do it yourself. This makes driving easier, especially for people who might have trouble using their feet.
An automatic transmission automatically changes the gear ratios as the vehicle moves, allowing the driver to focus on steering and acceleration without needing to manually shift gears. This is particularly beneficial for drivers who may have physical limitations.
"...we took the Nissan GT-R, which is automatic and it's everything else and I didn't need my left foot to drive it."
The Nissan GT-R is a fast sports car that many people love for its speed and technology. It's designed for racing and has a lot of features that make it exciting to drive.
The Nissan GT-R is a high-performance sports car known for its advanced technology and powerful engine. It has a strong motorsport heritage and is often celebrated for its impressive speed and handling capabilities.
"...we went up to QR and we did two sessions, two 15-minute sessions."
Track sessions are events where people can drive their cars on a race track. It's a safe place to go fast and learn how to handle a car better.
Track sessions refer to organized driving events where participants can drive their cars on a racetrack. These sessions allow drivers to experience high-speed driving in a controlled environment, often improving their skills and understanding of vehicle dynamics.
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A listener production.
Welcome to the Motorsport Brief,
a special piece of history is about to be made
and it spans three generations.
Good day, everyone. Rusty here with our latest garage short cast
to Tony Quinn in a moment about a bucket list project
that he's announcing today that means more to him personally
than perhaps any of the incredible business achievements he's had
or the races and places he's competed at around the world.
Before we get to TQ, just wanted to let you know about
a couple of additions to the library recently.
Great short cast with Shane Van Gisburg
and one of our best chats actually with his thoughts on Bathurst
as he watched on from the Vegas NASCAR race
and how he's unlocking the ovals off the back
of his really impressive results on road courses in Cup this year.
There's also a new feature app with Motorcycling Australia CEO Peter Doyle
which is more than just rules, regs and admin
growing up around some legends and getting serious
about a career on the engineering side
which led to team leadership roles and an enviable record
in the United States with Suzuki, with Matt Mulattin
as well as the world's Superbike Championship.
He is a straight shooter in the way that he's kind of guiding
two-wheel motorsport in Australia
and you'll get a sense of that in this conversation.
I hope you enjoy it.
Now, if you go hunting through stats and history pages
it's very hard to find entries in any discipline
of three generations racing together, let alone at Bathurst.
That is about to change with Tony Quinn
lining up with his sons Clarke and Kent
as well as Clarke's son, Tony's grandson, Ryder.
They call him Popeye.
I spoke to TQ in the lead-up to this weekend's
opening round of the next gen NZ Championship,
the Kiwi Summer Series, which he and his team in New Zealand promote.
It's also the final round of the Shannon Speed Series from Australia
with lots of GT3 and GT4 competitors
heading over from Oz to take part.
Hello, Tony Quinn. Hello.
Hey, you got a little emotional when we kind of quietly
spoke about this during this Unraged Safari
and I know it was in its infancy as an idea at that stage.
Tell people about this brilliant Bathurst 12-hour plan, Tony,
and why it means so much to you.
Well, it's a bit of a story.
I mean, it goes way back to when we were competing
at, you know, Nurburgring, Dubai, and the Bathurst 12-hour
as the VIP, Petfruits, Dada Lee, sort of team.
There was myself and Clarke, my youngest son,
and the odd celebrity like Shane and people like that
that would come and help us.
And it was all in my eldest grandson at the time
was quite small.
Like I remember at Nurburgring, he was wearing the earmuffs
and he was like less than five years old.
And I always had this vision or this dream
that one day it would be great to drive
at an endurance event with my son, Clarke, and grandson, Ryder.
But obviously I had many years to wait until Ryder was old enough.
And, you know, so that was always a...
You know, people say to me,
what do you have on your bucket list?
I really don't have anything
because I've kind of done all the things that I wanted to do
except for this endurance thing.
Because when you do endurance racing,
it really is totally different to a circuit race
or a rally or any of the other disciplines.
Doing an endurance race is really probably the most enjoyable thing
if things go reasonably well.
Well.
So what happened basically was that, you know,
that was the dream, that was going to happen eventually.
But then through a series of life things,
we all went off and did our different things.
Clarke's kind of retired from racing.
Ryder grew up and started racing.
And I just carried on bumbling around the tracks and doing my thing.
And it's only recently that we've managed to decide
maybe it's something that Popeye, so they call me Popeye,
that Popeye would love to do.
It means a lot to him.
We should all make a little bit of a special effort
and make it happen.
And of course my eldest son now, Kent,
he's actually done a bit of racing too.
So I'd love to include him as well.
So the plan is to go there as the Quinn boys
and have a crack.
But there is no interest in competing competitively.
We basically just want to go there and we want to start
and I've promised that Ryder can qualify
and do the first two stints or five stints and I care.
And then we just need to stay, we need to survive
and we need to finish.
So that's the plan.
Statistically TQ, historically,
to get three generations like this together is enormously special.
And I gather, just to extend on what you were saying there a moment ago,
that I think you're going to maybe quietly wander the lane
and talk to some of the Euros and just let them know
that your objective is different to theirs, isn't it?
A thousand percent because the reason that we stopped doing the Bathurst 12
was because it was just, it was too aggressive.
And some of the teams that have come from half way around the world or whatever
are there to win at all costs.
And we were taken out the last twice we did it
by teams that were not even in the running.
And so I just got the shits for the whole thing and that was the end of it.
And it coincided with Ryder growing up and Clark doing his thing and stuff like that.
So it was just a time that that was it.
And I never thought that we would achieve the dream.
I thought that was it gone.
But no, so I'm going to deliberately go up and down Pit Lane
and explain to all these teams and drivers that look, we're not racing with you.
We're not racing against you.
We're not going to take your prize or whatever.
So don't take us out.
Don't hit us.
We'll get out of the way for sure.
I can't speak on Ryder's behalf, but that made me a surprise.
But for the rest of us, it's not a career move for us.
Can you share some details, TQ, if you're up for it on perhaps the team, the car?
I gather you're going to do some testing together in the lead up and so on, aren't you?
Yeah, we've booked a day at QR, 26th of November.
We're going to drive the Carrera Cup car that we've got.
Because look, I do have a brand new Mustang GT3 in the garage.
But to be honest, it is so complicated and we don't have many spares for it.
So what I've decided to do is to deal with our good friends at MPC Troy and Lee.
And we're going to hire an Audi because the Audi's have been round the mountain several times
and they have several spare parts in case we need some.
And Troy's going to look after us and stuff like that.
It's just going to have no branding on it.
It's going to be a purple car because purple is Popeye's favourite colour.
And it's just going to have a big white cue on it.
The Quinn boys, that's what we're doing.
No game over, darling, none of that stuff.
Just a simple, so that it will be easy to, it'll stand out in the crowd for these European drivers.
Don't touch the purple car.
Any truth to the story that some good friends, maybe even some members from the racetracks in New Zealand
that you aren't going to come over and maybe get on the tools and be a part of this?
Well, that could be the funny part because absolutely, seriously, we're not going there to win anything.
We're going there to have a good time.
And the people that are going to be on the tools, I've said to Troy,
because Troy wanted to have a full-on professional data engineer and all this stuff.
I said, mate, seriously, that's not what we want.
It's not what I want. It's not what we want.
Steve Horn is a good old friend. He's going to be on the cars.
He's going to be the strategist.
And you know, Grant Aitken, he might pick up a spanner or something.
Somebody will be on the fuel.
I've got a good friend in real estate, Pete Bergen.
He just loves being the chocker.
You know, the chocker.
So he's designing his own chocker.
And I just want it to be fun.
And if it takes us five minutes, 20 minutes to do a drive or change or change the tyres or fuel,
it does not matter. I don't care.
I just want to keep going round and round and achieve the dream.
It's okay, mate. It's okay.
It's okay.
I get a wee bit emotional about the whole thing.
Strange, don't know.
I've hired and fired thousands of people and confronted unions and confronted all sorts of dramas in my life.
But this gets me.
I love that TQ.
The record book show, eight starts for you and Clark altogether at the 12 hour.
There's a P2, two thirds and a fourth.
You talked before about the likes of Grant Denier, Shane Van Gisburgen,
and the list of other name drivers that you've brought in over time is brilliant.
But based on what you just said then that this 2026 entry is perhaps the one that you're most proudest of.
Yeah, 100%.
Yeah, I don't really care for any other accolades or prizes or cups or attendances or, you know, I mean,
you know, Harry wants to go and race in Japan, the GT4 thing in Japan,
and I'm happy to go and do it.
You know, and we've talked about Pikes Peak doing it again and stuff like that,
but there is nothing, nothing, nothing that compares.
Good for you.
Good for you.
That doesn't even start.
It hasn't even started yet.
I'm hoping it's going to be pissing rain so that people won't see my tears of joy.
I'm chuffed for you, TQ.
This is Bucket List, as you said.
Stick around more with Tony Quinn on the other side of this.
This is the Motorsport Brief, our garage short cast.
We actually have one scheduled for November in the lead up to the final round of the F1 Academy in Vegas
with young Aussie Joanne Chaconte too.
She stopped by the studio recently, so keep an eye out for notifications on that one in the weeks ahead.
Back to the Convo now with Tony Quinn.
If we rewind the clock a little bit, you know, we weren't even sure for a period of time there after the big crash at Townsville.
If you would race again, you've been ultra determined to put the fun back into it.
You've rattled off some of the friends that you've been able to do that with over time.
When you think about it now, how important was it kind of getting back on the horse
but getting back on it in this manner, where it is about family and it is about fun?
Yeah, look, after the crash, there was a pivotal moment after the crash
where I naturally thought that that's it.
I'm not doing, you know, like the old bones can't take that anymore.
And, you know, being in a wheelchair and in bed and all the rest of it.
And I phoned Harry and said, mate, I'd love to just go and see if I can drive a car just again.
And so we took the Nissan GT-R, which is automatic and it's everything else
and I didn't need my left foot to drive it.
And so anyway, we went up to QR and we did two sessions, two 15-minute sessions.
And after that, and I wasn't that slow, you know, it was quite good.
After that, I said to Harry, mate, I now know what to do.
I now know that I just want to enjoy it.
I don't care for, you know, any race wins or podiums or anything.
There was a massive relief inside myself because prior to that,
people always had this expectation that when you went away for the weekend racing
that you would be on the podium or you'd won something or you had a big crowd, whatever it was.
But to have that huge expectation lifted off me and being able to just go and race
or just drive around the track where only buddies are and stuff.
It was like a new beginning, if you like.
And so nowadays, I'm quite proud to say to people, somebody has to be last.
And I don't mean, you know, I've had my turn up the front and basin with everybody and all the rest of it
and the Targas and everything that I've done.
I've done that.
And now I'm just quite happy to be the guy that's last because somebody has to be last.
And I don't mean that.
I'm glad you're enjoying it again, though. That's ultra cool.
Before we wrap this up, can I bounce through a couple of supercars things if you don't mind?
Firstly, the debrief for Triple-A after the supercars endurance races.
The sprint section of the championship had been so unreal for you guys,
but it's fair to say the endurance season was tough, wasn't it?
Yeah, I mean, you know, we're human, yeah.
You know, I mean, there was a few mistakes made in Adelaide that were probably not necessary.
And then it bathers, you know, both the drivers crashed, which was unusual.
And, you know, the weather turned on us.
And I think some of our intel was that the rain might just skirt round bathers.
And so I think the cars were exceptionally fast in the wet.
Sorry, in the dry. In the dry.
And, you know, had it stayed dry, it would have been a different result, but it didn't.
But what a fantastic event or, yeah, what a fantastic thing for the series.
I mean, you know, I mean, it's not just a bit Triple-A, it's about the series.
Because if the series is strong and well-supported, then all the teams benefit from it.
And, you know, there's been a lot of talk recently about Team Land,
but I'm fairly confident that that'll all be resolved
and we'll get on with the business of making supercars great again.
Good stuff.
Bit of news around about the third car and SCT backing.
Tell us about that and how excited you are for that next year.
I can't really tell you much better.
I mean, to be fair, Jamie is the CEO.
We actually had a board meeting yesterday where we discussed a lot of things.
And, yeah, I mean, the SCT car makes a whole lot more sense for us commercially.
Anyway, whether competitively, I'm not sure, but commercially makes a whole lot more sense for us.
And, you know, I think the decision was made to sort of exit Super 2.
We don't need to be there at the moment.
We need to focus on the business at hand, you know, with the Mustang next year, the engine program.
You know, so I think we made some good decisions yesterday
that will put the team in good shape for next year.
You know, I think I can't speak highly enough of the triple-it business.
It's, first, it's not a hugely profitable business.
It's a fantastic business to be involved in.
Good stuff.
Were you surprised, maybe you weren't, that Roland Dane is going to be, you know, working with Premier?
What do you think about him and the fact that he'll be with a rival team next year?
Look, Roland's a friend from way back.
I'm personally disappointed that he's doing that.
I mean, I think he gave the message to everybody that he was hanging up his clogs
and going off to America to see Jess and Shane and off to England to see his other daughter.
And, you know, I think it's a little bit strange, to be honest.
I think GM are, I think there's a whole puddle of stuff.
And you know, the thing that amazes me is that GM, we went to GM and asked them for a little bit more money,
like not much more, but just a little bit more because we were doing such a good job.
And they flatly refused and said, we don't have any more money.
And that's what prompted the move to Ford, commercially.
And I look now and watch what GM are doing in front of the cameras and behind the cameras.
They're spending an absolute fortune.
They would have been far cleverer to have just given Triple 8 a few more shackles
and it would have been a far better deal for them anyway.
But I think Roland's helping GM, I don't know, he's doing it.
I think it's a shitty move, to be honest.
It's not a thing that I would do.
I think once you give people your word, I think that's your reputation, that's very important.
And I mean, it's yet to be seen how much of an influence he's going to have.
Pete Zuberis is his own man, he doesn't need to be told anything by anybody else.
So there's going to be some interesting discussions in Premier's garage.
If I was a betting man, I'd say maybe it won't go past March.
Wow, wow, I can't.
Well, I mean, I know how they both are and they're both strong individuals with strong opinions.
And, you know, although Roland's got the background, the history, he had a great team behind him.
And this is why Triple-A is so strong, is because the team that is there,
that's made up of ten individuals maybe, and then the rest of the team that are developing around them,
is so strong and difficult to beat, to be honest.
Got you.
I want to end Tony today by coming back to the topic that I wanted to discuss with you on this podcast.
I'm going to let you know that in the build-up to this conversation, I called Ryder.
Just a quick little call.
I wanted to gauge his excitement for this.
And we spoke literally before I hit record today.
He says to me that he can't put into words how excited he is for this.
Not just because it's the 12-hour, which I know you love, and not just because it's a GT3 car.
He says it's the family aspect, right?
And it sounds like you're already having Zooms as a group together, that the preparation, the planning is already underway.
TQ, I am proud for all of you, mate.
What started as an awesome idea off the back of that GT4 win that Ryder had at the bend,
that very special win in GT4, a month or so ago, is coming together.
And I'm thrilled for you.
I want to say congrats.
I think that's just bloody awesome, mate.
Yeah, and I intend to.
And thank you.
I intend to make a little bit of a story around it.
And it'll form part of my legacy piece so that when I'm dead and gone,
children that haven't been born yet can watch this crazy old Scottish Kiwi Aussie guy
that did lots of stuff.
And this is his crowning glory that meant so much to him.
I love it.
I'll be there to cover it, mate.
I look forward to it.
And thank you for coming on and talking about it today.
Thank you and sorry for showing my weakness.
You should never show weakness.
He doesn't often get emotional like that, which I think gives you a sense of how much
this Bathas project means to him.
If you've read the latest edition of Tony's book, Zero to Sixty, you'll know that in
recent years something like this, for personal reasons, was probably a dream that was
unlikely ever to happen until now.
Time heals and this is a very positive step for all of them and one that I think they
just want to be in the moment of and enjoy.
I'm going to reach out to Roland for a right of reply there on the premiere stuff too.
I don't always get it right, but I tend to leave the pods as the guest in their own
words.
So that is Tony's take on things, but my other strong value is balance and fairness.
Before we go, this is the first step that I've bolted together with our listener team
since the passing of Gary Rogers.
Lots of people have spoken about this on socials, I know, and there were some wonderful things
done at the Gold Coast on the weekend to honour his memory.
He quietly did a couple of things for me over time that I will forever be grateful of.
He oozed that no BS straight shooting approach and in the course of a conversation by the
fence at, say, the old Paramatta Speedway, I love those ones, or in the pit lane at
Supercars or TCR, he'd invariably point your compass in the right direction.
And as Owen Kelly reminded me the other day, Gary would say, these are the good old days
right now.
He wasn't one for looking back, a great human being who will be missed enormously.
Our thoughts are with all of Gary's family and friends right now.
I've been a bit too much of that stuff in 2025 for my liking.
We will catch you next week, everybody.
Bye for now.
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