Tony Quinn says 2023 would be the ideal time for Supercars to return to Queensland Raceway once the circuit is fully upgraded.
Late last year, Quinn took over the operations of the Ipswich facility from John Tetley, who still runs Lakeside Park.
In the wake of that changeover, there were discussions between outgoing Supercars CEO Sean Seamer and Quinn to have the championship feature at Queensland Raceway in 2022.
However, as it stands, the category is currently not scheduled to race at the South East Queensland facility.
With the Gen3 rules and regulations set to come into effect in 2023, Quinn sees that as an opportune time for Supercars to return.
Featuring on Episode 17 of KTM Summer Grill, Quinn explained his rationale.
“[Supercars] obviously spoke to me, and I said, ‘Well, look I’d really prefer if you come back in 2023’ – me telling them what they should be doing – but it would be better for everybody,” said Quinn.
“Because, look, I tell you what, the Ipswich demographic are screaming out for the V8s to come back, right, but I think they should come back when it’s Gen3, when everything is laid out, when everything’s proper, and has been test run.
“The lights, everything that needs to be done, will be tested. I would welcome them back any time obviously, but it’d be better for everybody.
“They’ve got a few commitments to sort out this year, because of COVID, they’ve had to put things off. If they can get back to some normality hopefully they can get back to Ipswich in 2023.”
A raft of upgrades are in the works for Queensland Raceway, recently released renders showing new pit facilities as well as a renovated cafe and toilet block.
For Quinn, having the facility up to scratch is a must before the premier touring car championship returns.
“I can tell you, by the end of June it’ll look like that,” Quinn said, referencing the renders.
“If I dare mention, that’ll be stage one. That’s basically what I said before; bringing Queensland Raceway up to where it should be.
“If they’d had invested half a million a year in the property or the asset, it would have been there, if that made sense.
“I’m just going to take it up there in a hurry. I have to. That’s what we have to do.”
The Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships, headlined by the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series, will return to Ipswich in 2022.
The Australian Superbike Championship has also confirmed Queensland Raceway for its 2022 calendar.
Supercars raced at the Ipswich circuit every season between 1999 and 2019.
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