Tony Quinn and Matt McCutcheon have claimed a memorable victory under lights at Queensland Raceway, opening their Australian Endurance Championship campaign in style.
The race began in dramatic fashion with a Le Mans-style start staged in pit lane. Drivers first rolled out in qualifying order for a warm-up before returning to their pit boxes, where the cars were waiting. The starting drivers stayed strapped in while their teammates lined up further down. When the signal was given, co-drivers sprinted to their cars in a chaotic scramble, with John Nikolovski taking a fall.
Nikolovski’s troubles quickly compounded. Co-driver Fabian Coulthard was unable to fire the car ahead of the formation lap, forcing the team to begin the race from the garage. Once underway, however, Coulthard mounted an impressive recovery, slicing through the field and reaching the lead inside the opening 30 minutes.
Pit stops began shortly after, triggering the first major reshuffle. During the cycle, Mark Griffith ran wide into the gravel at Turn 6, bringing out the race’s first yellow flag. While most front-runners took the opportunity to pit, others stayed out, opting for a slightly different pit strategy. Some strategies worked well for some teams, but not for others.
With just under 90 minutes remaining, McCutcheon took over driving duties from Quinn. Despite losing ground during the pit sequence, the Kiwi charged back through the field, working his way onto the lead lap with a determined stint.
Rob Gooley and Oscar Targett remained firmly in contention throughout, positioning their BMW near the front and moving into second place as the race entered its final stages.
The decisive moment came with 35 minutes to go when Anthony Soole pitted from the lead, handing control of the race to McCutcheon. Soon after, further drama unfolded as Grant Denyer—who had recently taken over the McLaren—was forced to pull off with a loss of power. Both rear tyres had failed, causing damage to the car’s electronics and ending its challenge.
A late yellow flag with just seven minutes remaining, after Glen Ebert stopped his BMW M2 on track, set up a sprint to the finish. When racing resumed, Targett pushed hard to reel in McCutcheon, but traffic played a role in the closing moments. Lapped Mercedes-AMG GT4 machines interfered with the chase, allowing McCutcheon to maintain control.
At the flag, McCutcheon and Quinn held on to win, with Targett/Gooley crossing the line just three seconds adrift in second place
Coulthard and Nikolovski completed a remarkable recovery drive after their troubled start, climbing through the field to win Class 1 and secure third overall—an impressive turnaround in a race that saw heavy attrition.
Only nine cars made it to the finish, with four retirements highlighting the demanding nature of the three-hour enduro.
Header Image: Australian Endurance Championship (Facebook)
