Klark Quinn will step back from driving in the Australian GT Championship after wrapping up a third career title today at Highlands Park.
Quinn secured the championship in a dramatic pair of races at the Cromwell, New Zealand, venue created by father and category owner Tony.
Driving a McLaren 650S, Klark Quinn had led the opening race until being punted from behind on the final lap by title rival Nathan Morcom.
While Quinn had thought his title chances were over, confirmation of Morcom’s exclusion moments before the second race threw the battle wide open once more.
Quinn trailed Morcom for much of Race 2 before leaping to the front in the compulsory pitstop cycle.
Nathan Antunes and Craig Baird demoted Quinn to third after a late-race restart but, with Morcom back in seventh, it was more than enough to secure the title.
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“After what happened in the first race I was completely resigned to the fact that it was over,” Quinn told Speedcafe.com.
“It came down to the last minute as we were rolling out for Race 2 that the guys managed to tell me what was going on (with Morcom’s exclusion).
“I thought that was a fair penalty because I just wanted to fight it out with Nathan in that last race.
“He had more speed than me, but with the way the CPS works you’ve just got to take the advantage when you can get it.
“On the restart I jumped on the gas and it stepped sideways, so I had to get off it and lost out but I kept a level head.
“I was in a sandwich of McLarens for a lot of the race and after the first one I didn’t know who had bets on me to take me out or what!
“There were a lot of tactics going through my head but thankfully we all raced to the chequered flag cleanly.”
Quinn declared today’s title the most special of his three. He took out the 2012 and 2013 championships aboard a Porsche 911 GT3 R.
The 34-year-old is the first driver to win three AGTC titles, moving clear of two-time winners Mark Eddy (2008, 2011) and David Wall (2009, 2010).
“It’s been the toughest championship to date with the level of competition and the effort going in from all the teams,” he said.
“It’s really special. I can finish off the year tomorrow (in the Australian Endurance Championship race) feeling very happy that we’ve done the job.
“It’s great to bring it home for McLaren as well. We’ve been with them for a long time and it’s great to reward all that effort.”
Although likely to make occasional racing appearances, Quinn says he’ll forgo defending his title next year in favour of spending more time with his young family and continuing to grow the Darrell Lea businesses.
“I’ve had a great run in motorsport and done my dash,” said Quinn, who followed his father into motorsport and now has four children of his own.
“I’m not as young and agile as the pros coming through.
“I’ve supported the AGTC because of the interest that we have in it, but it’s now at a stage where there’s full grids, manufacturer support, factory drivers and professional teams.
“It’s a pretty serious series now and has grown into what dad wanted it to be.
“It’s now time for me to step out and focus on my family and the business, which are both growing.”
Quinn will team with drift star Mike Whiddett in tomorrow’s Highlands 101, which completes the year’s Australian Endurance Championship.
He sits third in the standings on 327 points, trailing Grant Denyer/Nathan Morcom (434) and John Martin/Duvashen Padayachee (364), who will not start the 101 due to damage sustained today.
There remains 220 points available tomorrow, 10 in each qualifying session and 200 for the race win.
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