Jim Richards (race driver)

V8 Supercar Driver
Name = Jim Richards


Caption = Jim Richards with his Co-driver Barry Oliver in a Porsche 911 GT3 in Targa Tasmania
Nationality = New Zealander
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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.

Career results

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. [cite news |publisher=Fox Sports Australia |url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,20910049-23770,00.html |title=Lowndes wins major V8 award |date=December 12, 2006 |accessdate=2007-01-03]

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." [cite book |last= Bidwell |first= Peter |title= V8 Kiwis |pages= 18 |year= 2006 |publisher= Hodder Moa |location= Auckland |isbn= 1-86971-060-6 ] 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.

References

External links

* [http://www.conrod.com.au/stats/drprof.cgi?id=12 VESRIX]
* [http://www.motorsm.com/motorsport/auto/AUS_Carrera_Cup/2003.asp 2003 Carrera Cup]
* [http://www.trackcorp.com.au/hot_laps.htm Jim Richards Hot Laps Experience]
*2007 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport [http://www.camsmanual.com.au/records.asp]