TONY Quinn has secured the rights to run Queensland Raceway after completing a deal with long-time circuit operator John Tetley.
The deal was negotiated over the past five months, and briefly foundered in June before being resurrected and completed on Monday morning.
Under the terms, Quinn takes on the lease, management and operations of Queensland Raceway, which is part of the Ipswich Motorsport Precinct that is jointly owned by the Ipswich City Council and the Queensland state government, while Tetley will continue to operate Lakeside Park.
“What Tony and I have achieved with this pact is a co-operative model so that we can continue to deliver a seamless set of events for our respective customers,” Tetley said in a joint statement.
“Tony can focus on expanding the scope and potential of Queensland Raceway and I can give my attention to securing the future of Lakeside and grass roots motorsport.”
Opened in 1999, the original club that ran the facility fell into receivership following that year’s Queensland 500.
Tetley led a consortium that took over the lease and operation of the circuit in mid-2000 and has headed the facility ever since, eventually buying out the other members of the consortium in 2004.
Queensland Raceway is the third circuit to fall under Quinn’s ownership or control. He currently owns New Zealand circuits Hampton Downs and Highlands Motorsport Park, and has put in a bid to purchase Taupo Motorsport Park.
Quinn said that everyone will be a winner out of the work he and Tetley have put into completing the deal over the past five months.
“Our major contribution for QR will be to bring the experience we have with the premier events and ancillary activities that we have developed in NZ,” Quinn said.
“With the Qantas announcements last Friday the world is opening up again and we need to be ready to capitalise on both the tourism and growth opportunities that will bring.
“There is also an enormous Trans-Tasman synergy to be had by sharing the expertise into our Queensland and New Zealand operations.
“Obviously, there will be some positive changes coming to QR next year. We are working with John on the calendar for 2022 and expect to publish it within the next few weeks.
“You have our commitment that we will meet the expectations of all existing QR customers in 2022.”
