Quinn and his co-driver Naomi Tillett (SA) will go into Leg 2 with a four (4) second lead over their closest rivals in the Modern Competition class.
Competing in a Nissan GTR 35 the pair took the lead from local Perth crew Steven Jones/Ruari Souter-Dawson (Nissan GR 35) on the fourth stage of the day and managed to hold onto the top spot as their main rivals closed in.
“I’m feeling good as gold,†Quinn said at the end of the day.
“We did very well; the car was good in the conditions. We got a little confused in that last stage so we lost a little time but I believe we’re still in the lead which is great,†Quinn continued.
Jones, who won the last stage by seven (7) seconds, had a tough battle with international rally driver Dean Herridge and his co-driver Chris Murphy (Subaru WRX Sti) throughout the afternoon, with Herridge also making a charge over the final stages of the day.
However, Herridge wasn’t able to compete with the time set by Jones on the final stage and has now dropped 13 seconds to leader Quinn.
Former World Rally Championship driver Alister McRae and his co-driver Bill Hayes (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) are a further 24 seconds behind Herridge in fourth.
South Australian pairing Kevin Weeks/Rebecca Crunkhorn (Porsche 911 RSR) are leading the Classic Competition class by a handy 1 minute 13 seconds. After contesting the Modern Competition class in 2008, Weeks has moved into the Classic category in 2009 to contest the Australian Classic Tarmac Championship (ACTC).
Husband and wife team, David and Vicki Moir, jumped into second on the last stage of the day, taking seven (7) seconds out of Shane Attwell/Michael Joss (Porsche 911 RS) who slipped back into third.
Robert Darrington/David Abetz (Audi S4), contesting their fifth QUIT Targa West and looking for their second QUIT Targa West class victory, have a 13 second gap over Mark Conacher/Andrew Conacher (Nissan GTR 35), who are a further 46 seconds in front of the husband and wife pairing of Razvan and Ioana Vlad (Hyundai i30 CRDi Turbo Diesel).
Rohan Green/Andrew Cutten (Porsche 911), competing in the Classic Challenge class, will take a 48 second lead into Leg 2 in front of Luke Reymond/John Reymond (Volkswagen Golf) and Anthony Clarke/Richard Harris (Holden Torana LC GTR).
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