Coffs Harbour driver Nathan Quinn simply had to finish all of the special stages of the 2017 Kennards Hire Rally Australia to win the Australian Rally Championship title. It was a task easier said than done thanks to wet, slippery roads like this one he faced on the Wedding Bells stage. 19 November 2017 Photo: Trevor Veale/Coffs Coast Advocate
Trevor Veale
Normally Coffs Harbour rally driver Nathan Quinn is as cool as the other side of his pillow. His laid back demeanour is always to the fore and a funny one liner is never far away.
That’s what made his reaction only moments after winning the Australian Rally Championship’s driver’s title so special.
Asked by WRC media only seconds after crossing the finish line of the Wedding Bells power stage what winning the title meant to him, Quinn’s emotions got the better off him.
The 31 year-old failed to hold back tears and said “I’ve got no words at the moment” as the enormity of his achievement hit him as well as the relief of finally achieving a dream he’s chased for more than decade.
“It’s good,” was all Quinn could say when asked how it felt to be the Australian champion.
When he was finally able to string some words together, the first people Quinn thanked were the two people who’ve supported him the most over the years.
“Thanks to everyone, Mum, Dad,” he said as the tears of joy kept flowing.
“My crew, Ben (co-driver Ben Searcy), Dave in New Zealand (his other co-driver Dave Calder), I’m so stoked.”
The best thing about Quinn’s emotional moment was that it was beamed live across the globe as he was driving among the World Rally Championship teams to an estimated audience of more than 50 million people.
The Coffs Harbour driver actually managed to pick up some points in the World Rally Championship after finishing in eighth position overall.