Klark Quinn scored an overall round win at a treacherous Mount Panorama Circuit at Bathurst in the Australian GT this weekend (7th/8th October).  It will go to the wire at Sandown next month, with Mark Eddy who is leading by 46 points in the championship after this weekend, and Quinn is the only driver with a mathematical chance to beat him.  After his DNF at the second race in Phillip Island, Quinn needs Eddy to return the 'favour' next month, to have a chance at the Title.

“Every race counts, so one DNF can make all the difference,” Klark said. “Mark has a good lead because he hasn’t finished worse than sixth, which is exactly the difference between us now. I really need Mark to DNF in at least one race at Sandown for the championship to swing back my way.”

 

Persistently wet weather rendered Thursday’s two 20-minute Australian GT Championship practice sessions almost useless, but by the end of Qualifying Klark was second on the grid, despite the difficult conditions.

Said Klark Quinn “I had to abort my first attempt when the session was red flagged, and then the car made a strange noise just before the restart. By the time the guys checked it out I was at the back of the line-up in the pitlane, so I had to wait a while to leave a gap to the cars in front.”

Quinn was surprised at the amount of grip, but he was frustrated that the Mosler, whose 7-litre engine is forced to use air intake restrictors, was slower on Mt Panorama’s two straights than his rivals.

“I lose a second on the straights and gain a second across the top of the mountain, so I’ll probably have to make bold some passing moves in the races!” he said.

Misty rain before the first race saw most drivers opting for the Michelin wets but pole sitter Greg Crick in a Dodge Viper opted for the slick option, and was overtaken at the start by Klark Quinn.  Crick's race was very short lived, when he slid into a concrete wall at the Sulman Park turn and then bounced back onto the track.  After the resulting Safety Car, Peter Hacketts Mercedes SLS with traction control, was impossible to live with, although Quinn Junior managed to sustain second place.  Fortunately for Klark, dad Tony Quinn eased into a third place protective spot behind his son, holding a raging Mark Eddy off by two tenths by the end of the race.

If the first race was a little processional at the front, the second race was anything but. This time the track was only slightly damp during the warm-up lap, and with no rain falling both V.I.P. Petfoods drivers were among those who came into the pits to change from wet tyres to slicks. They had to start the race from the pit exit gate, and in the rush Klark Quinn lost his place in the queue to championship rival Mark Eddy.

Ironically, race 1 winner Peter Hackett started on wet tyres in the hope that the rain would return, but lost his gamble as the sky cleared. Hackett led the first two laps, but his soft treaded tyres deteriorated so rapidly that he had to pit on lap four for slicks, leaving Kevin Weeks’ Lamborghini Gallardo in front.

Meanwhile, Quinn and Eddy duelled as they worked their way back up the order.

“We were swapping places all around the circuit, because Mark was faster on the straights and I was quicker across the top,” Quinn said.

That fight ended after Quinn couldn’t follow Eddy past Weeks on lap seven, but it sparked an even more furious battle between the Mosler and the Lamborghini. While Eddy established a winning margin, Quinn found his progress obstructed by a very wide Gallardo.

“I was quicker than Kevin from the end of Mountain Straight until the start of Conrod Straight, but he didn’t give me any overtaking opportunities across the top of the mountain. “When we hit the straights he had enough car speed to keep ahead.”

After tapping Weeks a few times, Quinn finally forced his way past with less than a lap remaining.

“I gave Kevin a few hints that I wanted to get past, but when my crew chief reminded me on the radio that it was the last lap I made a lunge under brakes at The Cutting. We rubbed doorhandles, but Kevin gave me just enough racing room to get by. It was great racing – even the V8 Supercar fans were cheering!”

The final round is at Sandown on 18th - 20th November.

Points score going into the final round

1. Mark Eddy671
2. Klark Quinn625
3. Greg Crick548