A fifth outright at the Red Devil Rally Queensland Asia Pacific Rally Championship round last weekend, and a better place by one from last year's rally of Queensland, is no consolation for not qualifying for the Pirelli Star Driver programme, according to NSW duo Nathan Quinn and Dave Green.
A complexity of the rules lead to a strategic error that has possibly cost the team this coveted opportunity.
Quinn was never out of the top six APRC stage times on Sunday and set a third fastest outright time in the international field.
Sitting in the box seat right up to Stage 4 on Saturday, shadowing Eli Evans’ Subaru, Quinn thought that everything was on track until the first of a series of brake problems struck which would eventually cost him a gearbox.
Quinn is understandably disappointed with the outcome given the fine drive on Sunday.
“I could have pushed harder for sure on Saturdayâ€, he said, “but we didn’t think we had to. Eli Evans was way out in front and Brendan Reeves had already had his trouble, and we were on top of Kiwi Hayden Paddon, so we thought we were in with second place to qualify."
"We were shocked when we realised that there is no requirement to finish, but I’m most disappointed for Dad. He’s taking it pretty hard, as is our crew and sponsors. It’s not the outcome we’ve worked for.â€
The PSD does not require you to finish the event at all. It’s based solely on stage wins. Quinn missed out on automatic selection for the ‘Shootout’ at the international round, Repco Rally Australia, to be held in September, by just four points.
“Look, without the PSD, I would have said to you that this was a great result given the troubles we had, the time we had the car, and how few miles Nathan has been able to do since Coffs last year. But this was about the PSD - nothing else mattered," said Martin Quinn.
Quinn and Green debuted the ex-Spencer Lowndes Evolution 9 Lancer into fifth outright APRC and fourth outright ARC after two days of competition, and ironically were the highest placed Pirelli Star Driver at the end of the event.
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