Ryder Quinn is set to step up to the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship in 2023, in the same car his grandfather Tony Quinn was injured in last year.
Quinn will drive a Porsche 992 GT3 Cup car with backing from Local Legends in the one-make Porsche category.
Interestingly, it is the same car that his grandfather crashed in the 2022 NTI Townsville 500, albeit re-shelled.
“It’s a brand new re-shell everything’s almost brand new except for the engine and gearbox, hopefully it’s a competitive car,” Quinn told Speedcafe.com.
“It’s quite emotional, to have the incident that happened to ‘Popeye’ and all the injuries that happened to him.
“At the end of the day, it’s still a car, it has four wheels and it’s connected to the ground, but I know there is going to be a little bit more emotion being in that car, given the history of it.”
He steps up to his first tin-top category after finishing fourth in the Australian Formula Ford Series with three wins and 10 podiums from 21 races, as well as seventh in the New Zealand-based Formula Regional Oceania Championship, with two podiums from 15 races.
“I think it’s a massive step and it’s gonna be a big challenge, but I’m all for it and I’m ready,” he added.
“I’ve always aspired to be in a Carrera Cup car – Porsche factory driver is where I want to be as a professional over in Europe.
“I’m honoured to be a part of the Carrera Cup championship.”
Tony Quinn to support grandson’s Carrera Cup campaign
Ryder’s grandfather was supportive of him using the repaired car to continue his motorsport career.
“After the crash, I just wanted to sell it, I just wanted to get rid of it,” Tony Quinn told Speedcafe.com.
“I didn’t want obviously to go back in and there wasn’t really a lot of interest in that situation.
“For Ryder, rather than doing another season of Formula Ford and then Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia, I thought I’m just going to chuck him in the deep end, so we repaired it for Carrera Cup.
“I think he’ll do all right, but it’s up to him really, I’m going to give him as much opportunity as he deserves.
“I can tell you that a shell costs you $96,000 and the scrap man gives you $36 for the old one.”
Round 1 of the 2023 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship will take place at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix on March 30-April 2.
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