Heimgartner: 'I was four days away from stopping racing'

Andre Heimgartner’s Tailem Bend breakthrough has come four years after the Kelly Grove Racing driver was mere days away from giving his career away.

Heimgartner’s Race 9 victory at The Bend Motorsport Park came in the Kiwi’s 161st career start, but in 2017, a career in finance broking seemed his only option.

Having made his main game debut as a teenager in 2014, two poor seasons with Super Black Racing and Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport left Heimgartner in the lurch.

He failed to secure a co-drive in 2017, but an injury to Ash Walsh saw Heimgartner called up as a last-minute partner for Tim Slade.

WATCH: 'I WAS FOUR DAYS FROM QUITTING': SATURDAY PRESS CONFERENCE

The lifeline saw Heimgartner put in an inspired performance to help Slade to the podium in a wet thriller on the Gold Coast streets, paving the way to a seat with Kelly Racing in 2018.

Heimgartner, who also claimed pole on Saturday, was “over the moon” to clinch victory, and paid tribute to the Kelly organisation for breathing new life into his career.

"They obviously gave me the chance to come back into Supercars and replace Todd in 2018,” said Heimgartner of the Kellys.

"My career was basically over, I was getting ready to be a finance broker and be out of the sport.

Heimgartner and Slade celebrate in 2017

“Getting an opportunity was massive and that was just after that Gold Coast wet race where I was able to get a 20-second lead.

"It’s good to finally repay that. [Todd’s] done a lot for me, well the whole family has, and now the Groves, so it’s really good to be able to repay that finally."

Saturday belonged to Heimgartner; he converted pole into victory, crossing the line with an 8.9s margin to Chaz Mostert.

The records will show that the margin was 3.9s, Heimgartner copping a five-second penalty over a pit lane infringement.

David Reynolds congratulates his teammate

Not even the penalty could slow Heimgartner, who became the 81st driver to claim an ATCC/Supercars race win.

"I was literally four days away from stopping racing. So yeah, it was meant to be all over, but thank god it’s not,” the Aucklander said.

“I just want to sit down for five minutes and take it all in.

“I’m just really, really happy and relieved.”

P1 for a happy Heimgartner

Kelly, who was replaced by the Kiwi from 2018, had nothing but praise for his young charge.

“I can’t believe the day the young bloke has had,” Kelly said.

“Every time he’s gone out on the track, every lap’s just been be mega, in the wet and the dry.

“To get pole, then get pummelled at the start and then the way he raced his way through on that first lap, he took off into the distance.

WATCH: MOTHER'S DAY MESSAGE FROM HEIMGARTNER

“From where we’ve been… it really shows, finally, how much work has gone on behind the scenes to improve the car.

“You can’t take away from Andre and team what we achieved today.

“Ford’s first win, first for Kelly Grove Racing, and Andre, it’s fantastic.”

The Repco Supercars Championship field will return on Sunday for Race 10 qualifying at 9:40am AEST. Check out the full weekend schedule here.

The OTR SuperSprint will be broadcast live on Foxtel and will be streamed on Kayo with highlights on 7 and 7 Plus.