GRANT Denyer will proudly represent Tony Quinn in Queensland Raceway’s first major on-track event since the circuit was acquired by the Scotsman.
Denyer was in line to co-drive with Quinn in the Australian Production Car Series this weekend as part of the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships event at QR.
However, the television personality will instead compete in a solo capacity, with Quinn still recovering from a series of injuries sustained in a Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia crash last month at Townsville.
Denyer will race the Local Legends Ford Mustang that he and Quinn drove to class victory (eighth outright) in the 2022 Bathurst 6 Hour.
“Quinny obviously loves his motor racing and that’s his new baby as well, Queensland Raceway,” Denyer told V8 Sleuth.
“So while the poor bloke is dealing with a fair bit of pain in his long recovery at the moment, he was still more than happy to see his Local Legends car out there burning around at his own event.
“It’s an honour to be able to represent the great man who gave me my start in motorsport 21 years ago, so the partnership continues.
STRANGE BUT TRUE: The $3000 fine Quinn paid in coins
GALLERY: Inside Queensland Raceway open day
“I did talk to him during the week and he’s working through all of his injuries one by one and it has just taken a bit of time.
“So he is not expected to be out there, I don’t believe, which is a real shame because he would have loved to have seen an event of this calibre to basically kickstart his ownership of Queensland Raceway.
“The place is looking a million bucks, they had their big first open day which was really well attended by all of the locals out that way, and to put on an event like this one this weekend, he’d have a tear in his eye, he’d be that happy.”
Quinn purchased QR from John Tetley late last year, adding to a portfolio of circuits which also includes Highlands Motorsport Park, Hampton Downs Motorsport Park and Taupo Motorsport Park, all in New Zealand.
Denyer has only raced once since the 6 Hour, taking fifth in the Bathurst 12 Hour in May (teaming up with Tony D’Alberto, David Wall and Adrian Deitz in a Lamborghini Huracan GT3).
“My motor racing is pretty sporadic these days, I try to turn up for a couple of big events and if the great Tony Quinn asks you to come along, you always say yes,” said the 44-year-old.
“I love production car racing, just manhandling a road-based car and nursing it as much as you are fanging it, and I love the variety of machinery in the category.
“I have had a lot of successes and a lot of race wins at Queensland Raceway, so who knows, maybe the old manual shift Mustang can outdo all of those automatic and paddle shift BMWs.”
Denyer’s history at the Ipswich venue includes a Super2 Series race win from pole for MW Motorsport in 2008.
In Quinn’s absence, Denyer will race solo, as opposed to finding a replacement co-driver.
“While the Saturday night race is a two-hour race, it’s a long time but the Mustang is actually quite a leisurely car to drive,” he said.
“It’s not too hardcore, it’s not like a GT car where it takes a lot of manual force to manhandle, so I’ll be doing it all by myself.
“Without Tony there, he’s offered me the drive to do it solo – and he didn’t have to honour that, it’s just the kind of bloke he is, he is a man of his word and I really appreciate it because I’m a much happier bloke when I’m motor racing, that’s for sure.”
Also in action today through Sunday will be TCR Australia, Trans Am, GT World Challenge Australia, Porsche Sprint Challenge, Radical Cup and the Australian Prototype Series.
