Q Did you think that you had 10 more chapters in you when updating the book and did they come easily?
Yes, they came easily because there was such a lot happened and I’ve written it all down in my little black book. In fact, there could have been 20 chapters, I reckon, because a lot has happened since 2016!
Q Was it tough to write about stuff which was not the greatest, i.e.: your marriage break-up and your accident?
No, I didn’t think it was tough. It was probably cathartic in a way because you’ve come through all that stuff, you’ve survived and it’s good to reflect on something that happens to a lot of people. The biggest thing for the accident, for me, was the mental side of things. The mental pain of getting through the journey, you know, being a totally different life situation that you had to deal with. The mental strength that was required was far more than I would have ever thought. Before the accident I would never have given it much thought, but it was far more impactful than I ever thought. I would have told myself to toughen up but having lived it, I know now how bloody hard it is. I was shocked by how hard it was. And I don’t want to do it again!
Q Are you a person who writes it all down or uses tapes?
No, I write it down. And when I say I write it down, all I do is I write bullet points. So the most important thing for me is to put the date at the top of the page and then just write points. And there’s no formal timing or anything. It’s just when I get a minute, I’ll write a date at the top of the page. And, you know, it could be from April and the next one might be June, for example. I find it amazing how once you start writing bullet points and referring back to the bullet points you wrote before, it’s amazing how things quickly add to a page.
Q In this day and age, a lot of people talk about journalling, which is good for you having a strong mental health, but are you jotting down your feelings or are you jotting down more factual things that are happening or a bit of both?
It would be more factual, but there’s certainly feelings, if that’s what you want to call them or I don’t know what you call them. Explanations or something. Observations. That’s a better word. If I think it is relevant it is written down. Observations, perhaps more.
Q In regards to the book, you then took all of those bullet points and then used them to give you prompts when you were talking to (ghostwriter) Rob Tighe, or you gave Tighe the bullet points.?
Rob took photographs of some of the bullet points, but mainly it was talking and talking around them and elaborating on [them] to explain what that meant or what that was all about. He did a marvellous job. I think everyone should write their story — not to publish but to get it all down. It’s a great gift to give your family and future generations.
Q Have you still got the passion for what you’re doing? And what time do you usually get up in the morning?
So lately I’ve been getting up at 5am and heading out to the farm and I do stop at McDonald’s for a coffee and stuff still. And then I get into the farm at 6am, get everything organised and get going. I’ve recently purchased a farm and I love it.
Do I have the passion? Yes, but I find things a lot easier now. I find people in government departments difficult to deal with but I find commercial situations quite easy to deal with really. I went to Bathurst at the weekend and I was more interested in the state of the facilities rather than the actual race I was involved in.
I love looking for opportunities, always have, always will.
Q What’s your motivation for getting up at 5 o’clock in the morning? What gets you out of bed apart from your bladder?
That’s 3am. No, I think right now I’ve got obviously the project of the farm and it’s a long way from being fixed but by Christmas time I hope to be all but finished.
That and next year I’m looking forward to enjoying and using the assets that I have a bit more than I’ve used them this year.
Q What do you love about Central Otago?
I’ve said it many times. I mean, New Zealand in general I like. And Central Otago is a wee bit more special than other places.
Central’s got great weather. In the summer it’s marvellous. It’s got the long evenings. In the winter it’s got the snow and the wood fires and the quaint pubs and clubs and I think that helps people socialise with each other as well. I think it’s quite a sociable environment. It’s clearly a special place.
Q Any thoughts on Liam Lawson?
I think he’s better than I thought he would be. I think he surprised people. I thought he would struggle.
I mean, when you look at the guys that have been before him and the most Kiwi recent guy in F1 was Brendon Hartley, and I know Brendon’s good and he’s this, that, and the next thing. But Brendon struggled a lot more than Liam seems to be.
Liam doesn’t seem to be struggling. He seems to be pretty chomping at the bit. I think he surprised a lot of people.
I’m very proud to have him as an ambassador for the Tony Quinn Foundation and for him, his life is only just beginning, so, you know, it’s going to be a good journey for everybody.
QAny chance of getting Supercars to Cromwell?
Yes, It’s a long shot, but they have expressed some interest investigating the possibility and they are very welcome. I know the New Zealand team are working hard to make it more than a possibility.
— Published by arrangement
