Australian GT boss Tony Quinn has given his strongest indication yet that he and other competitors in the Australian GT Championship might compete in next year’s Bathurst 12 hour race.

Speaking to the Melbourne television show “In Pit Lane” after last weekend’s successful return to the Shannons Nationals, Mr Quinn said that he had been in discussion with Bathurst 12 hour promoter James O’Brien looking for a way for more GT Championship cars and drivers to compete.

“I’ve spoken to James and we have a few things to sort out,” Quinn said.

Basically James wants to do his own thing, as usual, and that doesn’t always suit what we want to achieve.” he said.

“I’ve tried to work with him, and we may well still work something out, but at this stage we need to decide what we’re going to do, and offer it to the guys about  Bathurst, either with the V8s or with the 12 hours.”

Mr Quinn said “Obviously, the Bathurst 12 hour would be a good fit (for our series) but it needs to suit our competitors.”

Despite any return to the Mountain Enduro, Mr Quinn warned that it would still not bring in a huge wave of new entrants to the race.

“There’s no way I can force anybody to do The 12 hour, but I think there are five, six or seven cars that could do it.”

He said that it was a matter of trying to work out a way of accommodating the race, but without it having too much of a negative effect on the Championship series.

“And there’s ways of doing it” he said. “I have suggested it to James, but he doesn’t at this stage want to take any of my suggestions… but perhaps we can still work something out, I’m leaving it to CAMS a bit now to talk with James and see if we  can work something out.”

The second round of the series at Phillip Island was a clear indication of the categories success since Quinn took it over in 2011.

Twenty one cars started the event with new cars for Nick O’Halloran, Rod Salmon, Martin Wagg and Quinn himself.

Mr Quinn said that the full adoption of the FIA GT3 rules had been an enormous success and he confidently predicted that the category would have at least 30 cars on the grid by later this year.

One new car definitely on the way is Quinn’s new McLaren MP4 12-C.
The car will be presented to the Australian public at the Gold Coast round of the Championship although it will not race.
“I’m not sure whether I’ll going to race it next year but it’ll be here.” he said.

Also on the plans for the Championship is a Championship round in New Zealand in 2013.

“I’d really like to see a round of the Championship across the Tasman in 2013″ he said. “But we need to discuss it with all our competitors first.”