Jim Richards (race driver)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Jim Richards | |
|---|---|
 Jim Richards with his Co-driver Barry Oliver in a Porsche 911 GT3 in Targa Tasmania |
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| V8 Supercar Record | |
| Nationality | New Zealander |
| Car # | |
| Current team | |
| Series Championships | |
| Wins | |
| Podium finishes | |
| Pole positions | |
| 2007 Championship position | - |
Jim Richards (born September 2, 1947) is a New Zealand racing driver who has spent most of his racing life in Australia.
Richards first made his mark in Australia at the 1974 Bathurst 1000 with a masterful display of wet weather driving during the race, recording faster lap times than any of his opposition in the latter part of the event while driving a Torana L34 which finished in third place.
In mid-1975 Richards moved to Australia and was quickly competitive in sports sedan races driving his Sidchrome-sponsored Mustang. He was co-driver for John Goss in 1976 at Bathurst. Then in 1978 Richards began a successful stint as Peter Brock's co-driver at Bathurst, netting Richards three Bathurst 1000 titles in a row.
Jim Richards was Australian Touring Car Champion in 1985 and 1987, driving elegant black and gold JPS-sponsored BMWs, a 635CSi and an M3 respectively; in 1990 driving both Nissan Skyline R31 GTS-R & Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R and again in 1991 driving the 4WD Skyline GT-R, affectionately known as "Godzilla".
His other Australian title wins were:
- 1985 Australian Endurance Championship in a BMW 635CSi
- 1985 AMSCAR Series in a BMW 635CSi
- 1986 Australian Endurance Championship in a BMW 635CSi
- 1987 AMSCAR Series in a BMW M3
- 1992 AMSCAR Series in a Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R
- 1995 Australian GT Production Car Series in a Porsche 993 RSCS
- 1996 Australian NASCAR Championship
- 1999 Australian GT Production Car Championship in a Porsche 996 GT3
- 2000 Australian Nations Cup Championship in a Porsche 996 GT3
- 2001 Australian Nations Cup Championship in a Porsche 996 GT3
- 2002 Australian Nations Cup Championship in a Porsche 996 GT3
- 2003 Australian Carrera Cup Championship in a Porsche 996 GT3 Cup
His Bathurst wins have been:
- 1978 - Peter Brock / Jim Richards (Holden Torana LX A9X)
- 1979 - Peter Brock / Jim Richards (Holden Torana LX A9X)
- 1980 - Peter Brock / Jim Richards (Holden Commodore VC)
- 1991 - Mark Skaife / Jim Richards (Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R)
- 1992 - Mark Skaife / Jim Richards (Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R)
- 1998 - Rickard Rydell / Jim Richards (Volvo S40)
- 2002 - Mark Skaife / Jim Richards (Holden Commodore VX)
He has also won Targa Tasmania eight times in a succession of Porsches, and a pair of Sandown 500 wins.
Contents |
[edit] Career results
| Season | Series | Position | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Australian Sports Sedan Championship | 2nd | Ford Falcon XC | |
| 1980 | Australian Sports Sedan Championship | 3rd | Ford Falcon XC | |
| 1982 | Australian Touring Car Championship | 22nd | BMW 635 CSi | JPS Team BMW |
| 1984 | Australian Touring Car Championship | 5th | BMW 635 CSi | JPS Team BMW |
| 1985 | Australian Touring Car Championship | 1st | BMW 635 CSi | JPS Team BMW |
| 1985 | Australian Endurance Championship | 1st | BMW 635 CSi | JPS Team BMW |
| 1986 | Australian Touring Car Championship | 3rd | BMW 635 CSi | JPS Team BMW |
| 1986 | Australian Endurance Championship | 1st | BMW 635 CSi | JPS Team BMW |
| 1987 | Australian Touring Car Championship | 1st | BMW M3 | JPS Team BMW |
| 1988 | Australian Touring Car Championship | 4th | BMW M3 | Advantage Racing |
| 1989 | Australian Touring Car Championship | 4th | Nissan Skyline HR31 GTS-R | Nissan Motorsport Australia |
| 1990 | Australian Touring Car Championship | 1st | Nissan Skyline HR31 GTS-R Nissan Skyline BNR32 GT-R |
Nissan Motorsport Australia |
| 1991 | Australian Touring Car Championship | 1st | Nissan Skyline BNR32 GT-R | Nissan Motorsport Australia |
| 1992 | Australian Touring Car Championship | 2nd | Nissan Skyline BNR32 GT-R | Gibson Motor Sport |
| 1993 | Australian Touring Car Championship | 4th | Holden Commodore VP | Gibson Motor Sport |
| 1994 | Australian Touring Car Championship | 6th | Holden Commodore VP | Gibson Motor Sport |
| 1994 | Australian Super Production Car Series | 3rd | Porsche 968 CS | |
| 1995 | Australian Touring Car Championship | 12th | Holden Commodore VR | Gibson Motor Sport |
| 1995 | Australian Super Touring Championship | 16th | Hyundai Lantra Ford Mondeo |
Hyundai Automotive Ross Palmer Motorsport |
| 1995 | Australian GT Production Car Series | 1st | Porsche 993 RSCS | |
| 1996 | Australian Super Touring Championship | 8th | Vauxhall Cavalier | |
| 1996 | Australian GT Production Car Championship | 2nd | Porsche 993 RSCS | |
| 1996 | Australian Superspeedway (NASCAR) Series | 1st | ||
| 1997 | Australian Super Touring Championship | 5th | Volvo 850 | Volvo Dealer Racing |
| 1998 | Australian Super Touring Championship | 3rd | Volvo S40 | Volvo Dealer Racing |
| 1999 | V8Supercar Championship Series | 62nd | Ford Falcon AU | John Briggs Motorsport |
| 1999 | Australian Super Touring Championship | 2nd | Volvo S40 | Volvo Dealer Racing |
| 1999 | Australian GT Production Car Championship | 1st | Porsche 996 GT3 | |
| 2000 | V8Supercar Championship Series | 33rd | Ford Falcon AU | John Briggs Motorsport |
| 2000 | Australian Nations Cup Championship | 1st | Porsche 996 GT3 | |
| 2001 | V8Supercar Championship Series | 35th | Ford Falcon AU | Ford Tickford Racing |
| 2001 | Australian Nations Cup Championship | 1st | Porsche 996 GT3 | |
| 2002 | V8Supercar Championship Series | 33rd | Holden Commodore VX | Holden Racing Team |
| 2002 | Australian Nations Cup Championship | 1st | Porsche 996 GT3 | |
| 2003 | V8Supercar Championship Series | 37th | Holden Commodore VY | Holden Racing Team |
| 2003 | Australian Carrera Cup Championship | 1st | Porsche 996 GT3 Cup | |
| 2004 | V8Supercar Championship Series | 39th | Holden Commodore VY | Castrol Perkins Racing |
| 2004 | Australian Carrera Cup Championship | 2nd | Porsche 996 GT3 Cup | |
| 2005 | V8Supercar Championship Series | 47th | Holden Commodore VZ | Holden Racing Team |
| 2005 | Australian Carrera Cup Championship | 2nd | Porsche 996 GT3 Cup | |
| 2006 | V8Supercar Championship Series | 58th | Holden Commodore VZ | Holden Racing Team |
| 2006 | Australian Carrera Cup Championship | 4th | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup |
[edit] Trivia
Jim Richards is the father of Australian driver Steven Richards, but is unrelated to another New Zealand racing Richards, Jason Richards.
Richards was inducted in the Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2006.[1]
Richards is infamous for his speech after winning the 1992 Bathurst 1000 after crashing while in the lead and causing a red flag. The race results were declared at the end of the last completed lap, before his crash. The crowd booed when Richards and his co-driver Mark Skaife went to collect their trophies. When prompted for a reaction, Richards' spoke in the microphone: "This is bloody disgraceful. I'll keep racing, but I tell you what, I'll always remember this. You're a pack of arseholes."[2] He later apologized for the outburst, citing the fact that he had just heard the news that his good friend and countryman Denny Hulme had passed away from a heart attack which he suffered during the race.
While for most of his career he has been based in Australia, he races on a New Zealand competition licence with a New Zealand flag next to his name.
[edit] References
- ^ "Lowndes wins major V8 award", Fox Sports Australia, December 12, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-01-03.
- ^ Bidwell, Peter (2006). V8 Kiwis. Auckland: Hodder Moa, 18. ISBN 1-86971-060-6.
[edit] External links
- VESRIX
- 2003 Carrera Cup
- Jim Richards Experience
- 2007 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport[1]
| Preceded by Allan Moffat Jacky Ickx |
Winner of the Bathurst 1000 1978, 1979 and 1980 (with Peter Brock) |
Succeeded by Dick Johnson John French |
| Preceded by Dick Johnson |
Winner of the Australian Touring Car Championship 1985 |
Succeeded by Robbie Francevic |
| Preceded by Robbie Francevic |
Winner of the Australian Touring Car Championship 1987 |
Succeeded by Dick Johnson |
| Preceded by Dick Johnson |
Winner of the Australian Touring Car Championship 1990 and 1991 |
Succeeded by Mark Skaife |
| Preceded by Win Percy Allan Grice |
Winner of the Bathurst 1000 1991 and 1992 (with Mark Skaife) |
Succeeded by Larry Perkins Gregg Hansford |
| Preceded by David Brabham Geoff Brabham |
Winner of the Bathurst 1000 1998 (with Rickard Rydell) |
Succeeded by Paul Morris |
| Preceded by Mark Skaife Tony Longhurst |
Winner of the Bathurst 1000 2002 (with Mark Skaife) |
Succeeded by Greg Murphy Rick Kelly |
