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John Bowe (racing driver)
Encyclopedia
John Bowe is an Australian racing driver, presently racing a 1969 Ford Mustang in the historic series, Touring Car Masters
.
Bowe is a multiple Australian Champion, having twice won the Australian Drivers' Championship
during the Formula Mondial
era and the Australian Sports Car Championship
, before winning the Australian Touring Car Championship
in 1995. He has also won the prestigious Bathurst 1000
touring car endurance race twice, in 1989 and 1994. Both times as co-driver with long-time friend and team-mate Dick Johnson driving for iconic Ford team Dick Johnson Racing
.
After graduating from domestic Formula Ford racing Bowe moved into the Australian Drivers Championship in the late 70s, racing Elfin Formula 5000
s for the most prestigious team of the era, Garrie Cooper's Ansett Elfin Racing. The pinnacle of his Formula 5000 career was finishing runner up in the 1979 Australian Grand Prix
driving one of Cooper's Chevrolet
V8 powered Elfin MR8s. In the same year he also came second in the Australian Formula 2 Championships. After the collapse of Formula 5000 in the early 80s, Bowe continued with open wheelers racing as a front runner in the burgeoning Formula Pacific
category, a renamed version of Formula Atlantic
. After playing second fiddle to Alfredo Costanzo
for several seasons, Bowe broke through for his first Australian Drivers' Championship in 1984
, backing it up the following year with his second title in his Ford powered Ralt
RT4.
in Sports Sedan and GT events during the early 1980's when Thompson was in retirement. This stopped when Thompson came out of retirement in 1983. In late 1985 Bowe then was approached by Adelaide
based Sports Car racer Bernie Van Elsen to race his new car for the Australian Sports Car Championship
(ASCC). The car, built by K&A Engineering in Adelaide and called a Veskanda was powered by a 5.8L Chevrolet
V8 and is generally regarded as the fastest Sports Car
ever designed and built in Australia. In Bowe's talented hands the Veskanda Chev easily won the 1986 Australian Sports Car Championship with the combination setting outright lap records (often faster than the open wheelers
) at circuits around the country.
Bowe and the Veskanda finished second in the 1987 ASCC after reliability troubles and following the season the car was parked as Bowe was moving full time into Touring Car Racing in 1988
Bowe teamed with his Touring Car boss Dick Johnson in the Veskanda in the Sandown 360
in November 1988 which was part of that years World Sports-Prototype Championship
. After qualifying 8th the pair finished 87 of the winners 93 laps. Unfortunately the car was disqualified for using more fuel than the rules allowed.
, co-driving alongside New Zealander Robbie Francevic
at the Sandown Castrol 500
and the James Hardie 1000
. While the Volvo was fast, qualifying fifth fastest at Bathurst, it was fragile and did not record a significant finish. Interestingly, Bowe was quicker in the car than Francevic at Bathurst, qualifying the car in third spot for Hardies Hero's but it was lead driver Francevic who set the time in the top ten run-off. During the 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship
the new factory-supported Volvo Dealer Racing replaced the Mark Petch outfit and expanded to a second car and Bowe joined Francevic in the team full time for the series fourth round. Francevic went on the win the championship, with Bowe taking eighth place in the series including a pair of third places at Calder Park
and Oran Park
. Also in 1986 Bowe raced the Veskanda-Chevrolet Sports car owned by Bernie van Elsen and used it to dominate the Australian Sports Car Championship
, along the way setting outright lap records at various tracks around the country.
Bowe was became the lead driver of the Volvo team after Francevic parted company with the team shortly after the 1986 Castrol 500
, but once again the Volvo proved fragile and unable to effectively threaten for the 1986 endurance races
. The team disbanded at the end of the season leaving Bowe without a drive for the 1987 season. He was picked up by the Peter Jackson Nissan Racing
team for the 1987 endurance season as a co-driver for young sensation Glenn Seton
. The pair finished fourth at Bathurst in the Nissan Skyline RS DR30 and was later promoted to second after the disqualification of the Texaco Eggenberger Ford team.
For the 1988 season Dick Johnson Racing
hired Bowe, replacing Gregg Hansford
as the teams number two driver in their fast Ford Sierra RS500s. The team had re-engineered the cars after an embarrassing 1987 endurance season. Bowe won his third race for the team at Winton
and would go on to win again at Amaroo Park
, finishing second in the championship behind Dick Johnson. The pair salvaged a runner up position at Bathurst in the team's third entry after their two primary cars failed during the race. The team also visited the British Tourist Trophy at Silverstone
in 1988, taking pole position and smashing their opposition until the car failed.
1989 would prove to be more of the same, again finishing runner up to Johnson after taking victories at Amaroo Park and Wanneroo
. The 1989 Tooheys 1000
at Bathurst was a triumph for Bowe and Johnson, seeing off all challengers on their way to victory.
Over the next three seasons the Nissan team surged to the fore-front of Australian Touring Car racing and Bowe's only win would come at the Sandown round of the 1992 Australian Touring Car Championship
V8s returned to the front with Bowe winning the first round under the new regulations at Amaroo Park
. Bowe would narrowly miss out on second place in the championship. For the 1994 season DJR was initially off the pace until the Sandown 500
where in a race of mixed fortunes Bowe and Johnson won, taking the teams first Sandown 500 win after over 15 years of disappointment. Four weeks later in one of the most dramatic Bathurst 1000
s of all time Bowe and Johnson held off a pursuing pack of five Holdens late in the race to win, with Bowe memorably fighting for the lead with teenage debutante Craig Lowndes
in the final laps.
The team continued their good form into 1995 where not even the destruction of tyre suppliers Dunlop factory in the Kobe earthquake
could stop Bowe from winning the 1995 Australian Touring Car Championship
, taking victories at Symmons Plains
, a sprint round held at Bathurst for the first time since 1972
, Winton and under terrific pressure from Glenn Seton and Peter Brock
, the championship finale at Oran Park. The team went on to win back-to-back Sandown 500s
but didn't finish at Bathurst
after an accident with Glenn Seton while leading stopped their run on lap 110.
Bowe continued to race for DJR for the next three seasons, taking a second sprint victory at Bathurst in 1996, Lakeside
in 1997 and Winton in 1998, the last of his 15 Touring Car round victories. Bowe also finished runner up in the 1996 Australian Touring Car Championship
and Bathurst 1000
to his young rival from two years prior, Craig Lowndes.
Bowe moved on to Caterpillar
backed West Australian team PAE Motorsport seeking a new challenge but before the season was out the team had been sold to Queensland car dealer John Briggs. Despite some early promise he was fired from the team after Bathurst in 2001 with just a single race win at Queensland Raceway
in 1999 to show for his efforts.
From 2002-2006 Bowe and new team-mate Brad Jones had mixed fortunes. As with Briggs Motorsport early promise faded as the team struggled to find the resources to regularly threaten the front running teams. Always a threat at Bathurst, Bowe and Jones finished third in 2004
and won the second race in the 2005 Australian Grand Prix
non-championship event.
. In March 2007 Bowe broke the record for most championship races starts when he started in round 2 at Barbagello, his 213th start. His race was marred with two spins. His prospects for a glorious final season appear limited as PCR is a single car team and under funded compared to the front running teams. In 2008 Bowe returned to Sports car racing in a Lamborghini Gallardo
in the Australian GT Championship
, before snagging a full time drive in 2009 with the Touring Car Masters
series for historic touring cars, driving a Chevrolet Camaro
. 2010 sees John Bowe returning to the Touring Car Masters category driving "Sally", his 1969 Ford Mustang (powered by a Ford 351 Windsor V8 engine
), with sponsorship from WesTrac
and Wilson Security. Bowe also runs the number 18 on his Mustang, the same number he used when driving for Dick Johnson Racing.
Bowe's name has been lent to the John Bowe Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Formula 3 Tasmanian Super Prix
.
Touring Car Masters
The Touring Car Masters is an Australian motor racing series open to modified touring cars manufactured between 01 January 1963 and 31 December 1976. It evolved out of a previous series for CAMS Group N Touring Cars but with a greater degree of modifications permitted to improve safety, reliability...
.
Bowe is a multiple Australian Champion, having twice won the Australian Drivers' Championship
Australian Drivers' Championship
The Australian Drivers' Championship is a motor racing championship which has been contested annually since 1957 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category as determined by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport. Since 2005 this category has been Formula...
during the Formula Mondial
Formula Mondial
Formula Mondial was an international motor racing category which was introduced to replace both Formula Atlantic and the similar Formula Pacific in 1983....
era and the Australian Sports Car Championship
Australian Sports Car Championship
The Australian Sports Car Championship was the CAMS sanctioned national title for Sports Car drivers in the years from 1969 to 1988. Each championship was contested over a series of races with the exception of the 1975 title, which was awarded on the results of a single race held at the Phillip...
, before winning the Australian Touring Car Championship
Australian Touring Car Championship
The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The...
in 1995. He has also won the prestigious Bathurst 1000
Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
touring car endurance race twice, in 1989 and 1994. Both times as co-driver with long-time friend and team-mate Dick Johnson driving for iconic Ford team Dick Johnson Racing
Dick Johnson Racing
Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000...
.
Racing Cars
Bowe began racing Formula Vee in an Elfin 500 in 1971, winning the Tasmanian state title on debut. The following year, he also won the Tasmanian Formula Ford title.After graduating from domestic Formula Ford racing Bowe moved into the Australian Drivers Championship in the late 70s, racing Elfin Formula 5000
Formula 5000
Formula 5000 was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars that no longer fit into any particular formula...
s for the most prestigious team of the era, Garrie Cooper's Ansett Elfin Racing. The pinnacle of his Formula 5000 career was finishing runner up in the 1979 Australian Grand Prix
1979 Australian Grand Prix
The 1979 Australian Grand Prix was an open wheel racing car race held at Wanneroo Park on 11 March 1979.It was the forty fourth Australian Grand Prix and was open to Australian Formula 1 cars...
driving one of Cooper's Chevrolet
Chevrolet Small-Block engine
The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...
V8 powered Elfin MR8s. In the same year he also came second in the Australian Formula 2 Championships. After the collapse of Formula 5000 in the early 80s, Bowe continued with open wheelers racing as a front runner in the burgeoning Formula Pacific
Formula Pacific
Formula Pacific was a motor racing category which was utilised in the Pacific Basin area from 1977 to 1982. It specified a single-seat, open-wheeler chassis powered by a production-based four-cylinder engine of under 1600cc capacity. The formula was based on Formula Atlantic, with provision made...
category, a renamed version of Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic is a specification of open wheel racing car developed in the 1970s. It was used in professional racing through the IMSA Atlantic Championship until 2009 and is currently primarily used in amateur racing through Sports Car Club of America Formula Atlantic.-History:The history of...
. After playing second fiddle to Alfredo Costanzo
Alfredo Costanzo
Alfredo Costanzo is a retired Australian racing driver.The Italian-Australian was Australia's foremost domestic open wheeler driver in the late 70s and early 80s, proving equally adapt at winning races in the powerful Formula 5000 class as much as the nimble Formula Pacific cars that replaced them...
for several seasons, Bowe broke through for his first Australian Drivers' Championship in 1984
1984 Australian Drivers' Championship
The 1984 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title open to drivers of racing cars complying with Formula Mondial regulations. The winner of the title, which was the 28th Australian Drivers' Championship, was awarded the 1984 CAMS Gold Star...
, backing it up the following year with his second title in his Ford powered Ralt
Ralt
RALT was a manufacturer of single-seater racing cars, founded by ex-Jack Brabham associate Ron Tauranac after he sold out his interest in Brabham to Bernie Ecclestone. Ron and his brother had built some specials in Australia in the 1950s under the RALT name...
RT4.
Sports Cars
John Bowe drove the Bryan Thompson owned Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC-ChevroletChevrolet Small-Block engine
The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...
in Sports Sedan and GT events during the early 1980's when Thompson was in retirement. This stopped when Thompson came out of retirement in 1983. In late 1985 Bowe then was approached by Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
based Sports Car racer Bernie Van Elsen to race his new car for the Australian Sports Car Championship
Australian Sports Car Championship
The Australian Sports Car Championship was the CAMS sanctioned national title for Sports Car drivers in the years from 1969 to 1988. Each championship was contested over a series of races with the exception of the 1975 title, which was awarded on the results of a single race held at the Phillip...
(ASCC). The car, built by K&A Engineering in Adelaide and called a Veskanda was powered by a 5.8L Chevrolet
Chevrolet Small-Block engine
The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...
V8 and is generally regarded as the fastest Sports Car
Group A Sports Cars
Group A Sports Cars is an Australian motor racing category that CAMS formulated for sports car racing in Australia. Introduced in 1964, it continues today under the name Group 2A Sports Cars....
ever designed and built in Australia. In Bowe's talented hands the Veskanda Chev easily won the 1986 Australian Sports Car Championship with the combination setting outright lap records (often faster than the open wheelers
Open wheel car
Open-wheel car, formula car, or often single-seater car in British English, describes cars with the wheels outside the car's main body and, in most cases, one seat. Open-wheel cars contrast with street cars, sports cars, stock cars, and touring cars, which have their wheels below the body or fenders...
) at circuits around the country.
Bowe and the Veskanda finished second in the 1987 ASCC after reliability troubles and following the season the car was parked as Bowe was moving full time into Touring Car Racing in 1988
Bowe teamed with his Touring Car boss Dick Johnson in the Veskanda in the Sandown 360
1988 360km of Sandown Park
The 1988 Lucas Supersprint was the eleventh and final round of the 1988 World Sports-Prototype Championship. It took place at Sandown Raceway, Victoria, Australia on November 20, 1988....
in November 1988 which was part of that years World Sports-Prototype Championship
1988 World Sportscar Championship season
The 1988 World Sports-Prototype Championship season was the 36th FIA World Sportscar Championship season. It was a series running under the Group C formula, running cars in two classes known as C1 and C2. An invitational GTP class was also run for IMSA-spec cars...
. After qualifying 8th the pair finished 87 of the winners 93 laps. Unfortunately the car was disqualified for using more fuel than the rules allowed.
Touring Cars
In 1985 Bowe joined the Mark Petch backed Volvo 240 Turbo team during the 1985 Australian Endurance Championship1985 Australian Endurance Championship
The 1985 Australian Endurance Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Touring Cars complying with an Australian version of FIA Group A Touring Car regulations...
, co-driving alongside New Zealander Robbie Francevic
Robbie Francevic
Robert James Francevic, was a touring car racing driver in New Zealand and Australia in the 1970s and 1980s...
at the Sandown Castrol 500
1985 Castrol 500
The 1985 Castrol 500 was an endurance race for "Group A" Touring Cars staged at the Sandown International Motor Racing Circuit in Victoria on 15 September 1985...
and the James Hardie 1000
1985 James Hardie 1000
The 1985 James Hardie 1000 was the 26th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on 6 October 1985 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst. It was the first time the race was held exclusively for cars complying with the Australian version of International Group A...
. While the Volvo was fast, qualifying fifth fastest at Bathurst, it was fragile and did not record a significant finish. Interestingly, Bowe was quicker in the car than Francevic at Bathurst, qualifying the car in third spot for Hardies Hero's but it was lead driver Francevic who set the time in the top ten run-off. During the 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship
1986 Australian Touring Car Championship
The 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship was the 27th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. It began on 2 March 1986 at Amaroo Park and ended on 13 July at Oran Park Raceway after ten rounds....
the new factory-supported Volvo Dealer Racing replaced the Mark Petch outfit and expanded to a second car and Bowe joined Francevic in the team full time for the series fourth round. Francevic went on the win the championship, with Bowe taking eighth place in the series including a pair of third places at Calder Park
Calder Park Raceway
Calder Park Raceway is a motor racing circuit in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The complex includes a drag strip, a road circuit with several possible configurations, and the "Thunderdome", a high-speed banked oval equipped to race either clockwise or counter-clockwise .-History:Calder Park...
and Oran Park
Oran Park Raceway
Oran Park Raceway was a motor racing circuit at Narellan in southwestern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia which was operational from 1962 to 2010....
. Also in 1986 Bowe raced the Veskanda-Chevrolet Sports car owned by Bernie van Elsen and used it to dominate the Australian Sports Car Championship
Australian Sports Car Championship
The Australian Sports Car Championship was the CAMS sanctioned national title for Sports Car drivers in the years from 1969 to 1988. Each championship was contested over a series of races with the exception of the 1975 title, which was awarded on the results of a single race held at the Phillip...
, along the way setting outright lap records at various tracks around the country.
Bowe was became the lead driver of the Volvo team after Francevic parted company with the team shortly after the 1986 Castrol 500
1986 Castrol 500
The 1986 Castrol 500 was an endurance race for cars complying with CAMS Touring Car regulations, which were based on FIA Group A rules. The event was staged on 14 September 1986 over 129 laps of the 3.9 km Sandown circuit in Victoria, Australia, a total distance of 503 km...
, but once again the Volvo proved fragile and unable to effectively threaten for the 1986 endurance races
1986 Australian Endurance Championship
The 1986 Australian Endurance Championship was open to drivers of Group A Touring Cars and was contested over a six round series.-Calendar:Rounds were run concurrently with those of the 1986 Australian Manufacturers' Championship.-Class structure:...
. The team disbanded at the end of the season leaving Bowe without a drive for the 1987 season. He was picked up by the Peter Jackson Nissan Racing
Gibson Motor Sport
Gibson Motor Sport was an Australian motor racing team. Originally established by Howard Marsden as the in-house factory Nissan motorsport operation, the team later passed into the ownership of Fred Gibson., who had won the 1967 Bathurst 500 as a driver, sharing with Harry Firth. In 1993 the team...
team for the 1987 endurance season as a co-driver for young sensation Glenn Seton
Glenn Seton
Glenn Seton is an Australian racing driver.Seton, father of Courtney and Aaron Seton and husband to Jayne Seton, retired from full time racing after the 2005 V8 Supercar season, and is only one of five drivers to have competed in over 200 rounds in the series. The other drivers are Dick Johnson ,...
. The pair finished fourth at Bathurst in the Nissan Skyline RS DR30 and was later promoted to second after the disqualification of the Texaco Eggenberger Ford team.
For the 1988 season Dick Johnson Racing
Dick Johnson Racing
Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000...
hired Bowe, replacing Gregg Hansford
Gregg Hansford
Gregg Hansford was an Australian motorcycle and touring car racer.-Racing career:Hansford began racing motorcycles in Australia, winning the 1973 500cc Unlimited title, as well as competing in the New Zealand Marlboro Series in 1975/76 and 1977/78 on Team Kawasaki 750s. He also won one leg of the...
as the teams number two driver in their fast Ford Sierra RS500s. The team had re-engineered the cars after an embarrassing 1987 endurance season. Bowe won his third race for the team at Winton
Winton Motor Raceway
Winton Motor Raceway is a Motor Racing track in Winton, near Benalla, Victoria, Australia.-History:The Benalla Auto Club began planning for a permanent racing track around 1958. In 1960 it was decided to build the track at Winton Recreation Reserve and was completed in twelve months...
and would go on to win again at Amaroo Park
Amaroo Park
Amaroo Park was a motor racing circuit located in Annangrove, New South Wales, in the present-day western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. It opened in 1967, hosting its first motorcycle meeting on 26 February with a 30 lap production race won by Larry Simons on a BSA Spitfire in heavy rain. The...
, finishing second in the championship behind Dick Johnson. The pair salvaged a runner up position at Bathurst in the team's third entry after their two primary cars failed during the race. The team also visited the British Tourist Trophy at Silverstone
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
in 1988, taking pole position and smashing their opposition until the car failed.
1989 would prove to be more of the same, again finishing runner up to Johnson after taking victories at Amaroo Park and Wanneroo
Barbagallo Raceway
Barbagallo Raceway is a motorsport circuit located in Wanneroo, approximately north of Perth in Western Australia.The circuit was originally known as Wanneroo Park and the first race meet took place in March 1969. Initially the major race per year was a 6 hour Le Mans style race for sedans and...
. The 1989 Tooheys 1000
1989 Tooheys 1000
The 1989 Tooheys 1000 was the 30th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on 1 October 1989 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst, Australia. The race was held for cars eligible under International Group A touring car regulations with three engine capacity...
at Bathurst was a triumph for Bowe and Johnson, seeing off all challengers on their way to victory.
Over the next three seasons the Nissan team surged to the fore-front of Australian Touring Car racing and Bowe's only win would come at the Sandown round of the 1992 Australian Touring Car Championship
1992 Australian Touring Car Championship
The 1992 Australian Touring Car Championship was the 33rd running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. It was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Group 3A Touring Cars, commonly known as Group A cars...
V8Supercar
DJR fortunes reversed in 1993 with the advent of the V8 based regulations that in 1997 would become known as V8 Supercar. The teams new Ford FalconFord Falcon (Australia)
The Ford Falcon is a full-size car which has been manufactured by Ford Australia since 1960. Each model from the XA series of 1972 onward has been designed, developed and built in Australia and/or New Zealand, following the phasing out of the American Falcon of 1960–71 which had been re-engineered...
V8s returned to the front with Bowe winning the first round under the new regulations at Amaroo Park
Amaroo Park
Amaroo Park was a motor racing circuit located in Annangrove, New South Wales, in the present-day western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. It opened in 1967, hosting its first motorcycle meeting on 26 February with a 30 lap production race won by Larry Simons on a BSA Spitfire in heavy rain. The...
. Bowe would narrowly miss out on second place in the championship. For the 1994 season DJR was initially off the pace until the Sandown 500
1994 Sandown 500
The 1994 Sandown 500 was endurance race for Group 3A Touring Cars and selected production cars held at the Sandown circuit in Victoria, Australia on 4 September 1994....
where in a race of mixed fortunes Bowe and Johnson won, taking the teams first Sandown 500 win after over 15 years of disappointment. Four weeks later in one of the most dramatic Bathurst 1000
1994 Tooheys 1000
The 1994 Tooheys 1000 was the 35th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on 2 October 1994 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst. The race was held for cars eligible for CAMS Group 3A touring car regulations, that later became known V8Supercars and for...
s of all time Bowe and Johnson held off a pursuing pack of five Holdens late in the race to win, with Bowe memorably fighting for the lead with teenage debutante Craig Lowndes
Craig Lowndes
Craig Lowndes is a multi-championship winning Australian racing driver. He is a three-time V8 Supercar champion and five-time winner of Australia's most famous motor race, the Bathurst 1000...
in the final laps.
The team continued their good form into 1995 where not even the destruction of tyre suppliers Dunlop factory in the Kobe earthquake
Great Hanshin earthquake
The Great Hanshin earthquake, or Kobe earthquake, was an earthquake that occurred on Tuesday, January 17, 1995, at 05:46 JST in the southern part of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It measured 6.8 on the moment magnitude scale , and Mj7.3 on JMA magnitude scale. The tremors lasted for approximately 20...
could stop Bowe from winning the 1995 Australian Touring Car Championship
1995 Australian Touring Car Championship
The 1995 Shell Australian Touring Car Championship was the 36th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship and was run for cars eligible to CAMS Group 3A touring car specifications. It began on 5 February 1995 at Sandown Raceway and ended on 6 August at Oran Park Raceway after 10...
, taking victories at Symmons Plains
Symmons Plains Raceway
Symmons Plains Raceway is a motor racing circuit in Australia, located about 30 kilometres south of Launceston, Tasmania. Since the closure of the Longford circuit in the 1960s it has been Tasmania's premier motor racing facility...
, a sprint round held at Bathurst for the first time since 1972
1972 Australian Touring Car Championship
The 1972 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title open to Group C Improved Production Touring Cars and Group E Series Production Touring Cars. The championship, which was the 13th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship, began at Symmons...
, Winton and under terrific pressure from Glenn Seton and Peter Brock
Peter Brock
Peter Geoffrey Brock, AM otherwise known as "Peter Perfect", "The King of the Mountain" or simply as "Brocky" was one of Australia's best-known and most successful motor racing drivers. Brock was most often associated with Holden for almost 40 years, although he raced vehicles of other...
, the championship finale at Oran Park. The team went on to win back-to-back Sandown 500s
1995 Sandown 500
The 1995 Sandown 500 was an endurance race for 5.0 Litre Touring Cars complying with CAMS Group 3A regulations. The event was staged at the Sandown circuit near Melbourne in Victoria, Australia on 3 September 1995...
but didn't finish at Bathurst
1995 Tooheys 1000
The 1995 Tooheys 1000 was the 36th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on October 1, 1995 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst. The race was held for cars eligible under CAMS Group 3A 5.0 Litre Touring Car regulations, that later became known as V8Supercars...
after an accident with Glenn Seton while leading stopped their run on lap 110.
Bowe continued to race for DJR for the next three seasons, taking a second sprint victory at Bathurst in 1996, Lakeside
Lakeside International Raceway
Lakeside Park, formerly known as Lakeside International Raceway is a motor racing circuit located at Pine Rivers north of Brisbane and lies adjacent to Lake Kurwongbah....
in 1997 and Winton in 1998, the last of his 15 Touring Car round victories. Bowe also finished runner up in the 1996 Australian Touring Car Championship
1996 Australian Touring Car Championship
The 1996 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of 5.0 Litre Touring Cars complying with Australian Group 3A regulations. The championship, which was the 37th Australian Touring Car Championship, was promoted as the Shell Australian Touring Car...
and Bathurst 1000
1996 AMP Bathurst 1000
The 1996 AMP Bathurst 1000 was the 37th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on October 6, 1996 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst...
to his young rival from two years prior, Craig Lowndes.
Bowe moved on to Caterpillar
Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas...
backed West Australian team PAE Motorsport seeking a new challenge but before the season was out the team had been sold to Queensland car dealer John Briggs. Despite some early promise he was fired from the team after Bathurst in 2001 with just a single race win at Queensland Raceway
Queensland Raceway
Queensland Raceway nicknamed "the paperclip" is a motor racing circuit located near Ipswich in Queensland, Australia.The circuit plays host to V8 Supercars, the Australian Superbike Championship, Drifting as well as club level racing and ride days....
in 1999 to show for his efforts.
From 2002-2006 Bowe and new team-mate Brad Jones had mixed fortunes. As with Briggs Motorsport early promise faded as the team struggled to find the resources to regularly threaten the front running teams. Always a threat at Bathurst, Bowe and Jones finished third in 2004
2004 Bob Jane T-Marts 1000
The 2004 Bob Jane T-Marts Bathurst 1000 was the eighth running of the Australia 1000 race, first held after the organisational split over the Bathurst 1000 that occurred in 1997. The race was staged four days after the 41st anniversary of the original touring car endurance race held at the Mount...
and won the second race in the 2005 Australian Grand Prix
Australian Grand Prix
The Australian Grand Prix is a motor race held annually and is held to be the pinnacle of motor racing in Australia. The Grand Prix is the oldest surviving motor racing competition held in Australia having been held 76 times since it was first run at Phillip Island in 1928. Since 1985 the race has...
non-championship event.
Retirement
Announcing his retirement, Bowe raced a final season in 2007 for Paul Cruickshank RacingPaul Cruickshank Racing
Paul Cruickshank Racing was an Australian motor racing team that competed in several Sports Car and Touring Car categories.-V8 Supercar Championship:...
. In March 2007 Bowe broke the record for most championship races starts when he started in round 2 at Barbagello, his 213th start. His race was marred with two spins. His prospects for a glorious final season appear limited as PCR is a single car team and under funded compared to the front running teams. In 2008 Bowe returned to Sports car racing in a Lamborghini Gallardo
Lamborghini Gallardo
The Lamborghini Gallardo is a sports car built by Lamborghini. The Gallardo is Lamborghini's most-produced model to date, with over 10,000 built in its first seven years of production...
in the Australian GT Championship
Australian GT Championship
The Australian GT Championship is a CAMS-sanctioned national title for drivers of GT cars, held annually from 1960 to 1963, from 1982 to 1985 and from 2005. Each championship up to and including the 1963 title was contested over a single race and those after that year over a series of races...
, before snagging a full time drive in 2009 with the Touring Car Masters
Touring Car Masters
The Touring Car Masters is an Australian motor racing series open to modified touring cars manufactured between 01 January 1963 and 31 December 1976. It evolved out of a previous series for CAMS Group N Touring Cars but with a greater degree of modifications permitted to improve safety, reliability...
series for historic touring cars, driving a Chevrolet Camaro
Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro is an automobile manufactured by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand, classified as a pony car and some versions also as a muscle car. It went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed as a competing model to the Ford Mustang...
. 2010 sees John Bowe returning to the Touring Car Masters category driving "Sally", his 1969 Ford Mustang (powered by a Ford 351 Windsor V8 engine
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
), with sponsorship from WesTrac
WesTrac
WesTrac Pty Ltd is a Caterpillar dealer. It is owned by Australian Capital Equity, which in turn is owned by Kerry Stokes.WesTrac is based in South Guildford, Western Australia and is the Caterpillar dealer for Western Australia, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and northern China...
and Wilson Security. Bowe also runs the number 18 on his Mustang, the same number he used when driving for Dick Johnson Racing.
Bowe's name has been lent to the John Bowe Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Formula 3 Tasmanian Super Prix
Tasmanian Super Prix
The Tasmanian Super Prix is a motor race for open-wheel racing cars eligible to international Formula 3 regulations held at Symmons Plains Raceway, near Launceston in Tasmania...
.
Career results
| Season | Series | Position | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Australian Drivers' Championship Australian Drivers' Championship The Australian Drivers' Championship is a motor racing championship which has been contested annually since 1957 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category as determined by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport. Since 2005 this category has been Formula... |
5th | Elfin MR8 Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
Ansett Team Elfin |
| 1979 1979 Australian Drivers' Championship A 1979 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of Australian Formula 1 racing cars. The championship winner was awarded the 1979 CAMS Gold Star... |
Australian Drivers' Championship Australian Drivers' Championship The Australian Drivers' Championship is a motor racing championship which has been contested annually since 1957 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category as determined by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport. Since 2005 this category has been Formula... |
2nd | Elfin MR8 Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
Ansett Team Elfin |
| 1979 | Australian Formula 2 Championship | 2nd | Elfin 792 Volkswagen Volkswagen Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is... |
Ansett Team Elfin |
| 1980 1980 Australian Drivers' Championship The 1980 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Australian Formula 1 racing cars.The winner of the championship, which was the 24th Australian Drivers' Championship, was awarded the 1980 CAMS Gold Star.... |
Australian Drivers' Championship Australian Drivers' Championship The Australian Drivers' Championship is a motor racing championship which has been contested annually since 1957 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category as determined by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport. Since 2005 this category has been Formula... |
3rd | Elfin MR8 Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
Ansett Team Elfin |
| 1980 1980 Australian Formula 2 Championship The 1980 Australian Formula 2 Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of cars complying with Australian Formula 2 regulations... |
Australian Formula 2 Championship | 4th | Elfin Two-25 Volkswagen | Ansett Team Elfin |
| 1981 | Australian Drivers' Championship Australian Drivers' Championship The Australian Drivers' Championship is a motor racing championship which has been contested annually since 1957 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category as determined by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport. Since 2005 this category has been Formula... |
3rd | Elfin MR9 Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
Ansett Team Elfin |
| 1981 1981 Australian Formula 2 Championship The 1981 Australian Formula 2 Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Australian Formula 2 racing cars. It was the 14th Australian Formula 2 Championship to be awarded by CAMS.-Calendar:... |
Australian Formula 2 Championship | 9th | Elfin Two-25 Volkswagen | Chris Leach Racing |
| 1982 | Australian Drivers' Championship Australian Drivers' Championship The Australian Drivers' Championship is a motor racing championship which has been contested annually since 1957 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category as determined by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport. Since 2005 this category has been Formula... |
2nd | Ralt Ralt RALT was a manufacturer of single-seater racing cars, founded by ex-Jack Brabham associate Ron Tauranac after he sold out his interest in Brabham to Bernie Ecclestone. Ron and his brother had built some specials in Australia in the 1950s under the RALT name... RT4 Ford |
Chris Leach Racing |
| 1983 1983 Australian Drivers' Championship The 1983 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title open to drivers of Australian Formula 1 racing cars. The winner of the title, which was the 27th Australian Drivers' Championship, was awarded the 1983 CAMS Gold Star.-Calendar:... |
Australian Drivers' Championship Australian Drivers' Championship The Australian Drivers' Championship is a motor racing championship which has been contested annually since 1957 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category as determined by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport. Since 2005 this category has been Formula... |
6th | Ralt Ralt RALT was a manufacturer of single-seater racing cars, founded by ex-Jack Brabham associate Ron Tauranac after he sold out his interest in Brabham to Bernie Ecclestone. Ron and his brother had built some specials in Australia in the 1950s under the RALT name... RT4 Ford |
John Bowe |
| 1984 1984 Australian Drivers' Championship The 1984 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title open to drivers of racing cars complying with Formula Mondial regulations. The winner of the title, which was the 28th Australian Drivers' Championship, was awarded the 1984 CAMS Gold Star... |
Australian Drivers' Championship Australian Drivers' Championship The Australian Drivers' Championship is a motor racing championship which has been contested annually since 1957 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category as determined by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport. Since 2005 this category has been Formula... |
1st | Ralt Ralt RALT was a manufacturer of single-seater racing cars, founded by ex-Jack Brabham associate Ron Tauranac after he sold out his interest in Brabham to Bernie Ecclestone. Ron and his brother had built some specials in Australia in the 1950s under the RALT name... RT4 Ford |
Chris Leach Racing |
| 1985 1985 Australian Drivers' Championship The 1985 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of cars conforming to Australian Formula 1 regulations, which in 1985 corresponded to Formula Mondial, an evolution of Formula Atlantic. The title was contested over a five race series with the... |
Australian Drivers' Championship Australian Drivers' Championship The Australian Drivers' Championship is a motor racing championship which has been contested annually since 1957 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category as determined by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport. Since 2005 this category has been Formula... |
1st | Ralt Ralt RALT was a manufacturer of single-seater racing cars, founded by ex-Jack Brabham associate Ron Tauranac after he sold out his interest in Brabham to Bernie Ecclestone. Ron and his brother had built some specials in Australia in the 1950s under the RALT name... RT4 Ford |
Chris Leach Enterprises |
| 1986 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship The 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship was the 27th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. It began on 2 March 1986 at Amaroo Park and ended on 13 July at Oran Park Raceway after ten rounds.... |
Australian Touring Car Championship Australian Touring Car Championship The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The... |
8th | Volvo 240 Turbo | Volvo Dealer Racing |
| 1986 | Australian Sports Car Championship Australian Sports Car Championship The Australian Sports Car Championship was the CAMS sanctioned national title for Sports Car drivers in the years from 1969 to 1988. Each championship was contested over a series of races with the exception of the 1975 title, which was awarded on the results of a single race held at the Phillip... |
1st | Veskanda-Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
Bernie van Elsen |
| 1987 | Australian Sports Car Championship Australian Sports Car Championship The Australian Sports Car Championship was the CAMS sanctioned national title for Sports Car drivers in the years from 1969 to 1988. Each championship was contested over a series of races with the exception of the 1975 title, which was awarded on the results of a single race held at the Phillip... |
2nd | Veskanda-Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
Bernie van Elsen |
| 1988 1988 Australian Touring Car Championship The 1988 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Group 3A Touring Cars. It was the 29th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. Promoted as the “1988 Shell Ultra Australian Touring Car Championship”, it began on 6 March at Calder Park... |
Australian Touring Car Championship Australian Touring Car Championship The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The... |
2nd | Ford Sierra RS500 | Shell Ultra Hi Racing Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000... |
| 1989 1989 Australian Touring Car Championship The 1989 Shell Ultra Australian Touring Car Championship was the 30th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. It began on 5 March 1989 at Amaroo Park and ended on 9 July at Oran Park Raceway after eight rounds... |
Australian Touring Car Championship Australian Touring Car Championship The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The... |
2nd | Ford Sierra RS500 | Shell Ultra Hi Racing Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000... |
| 1990 1990 Australian Touring Car Championship The 1990 Shell Ultra Australian Touring Car Championship was the 31st running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. It began on 25 February 1990 at Amaroo Park and ended on 15 July at Oran Park Raceway after 8 rounds... |
Australian Touring Car Championship Australian Touring Car Championship The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The... |
5th | Ford Sierra RS500 | Shell Ultra Hi Racing Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000... |
| 1991 1991 Australian Touring Car Championship The 1991 Shell Australian Touring Car Championship was the 32nd running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. It began on 24 February 1991 at Sandown Raceway and ended on 11 August at Oran Park Raceway after nine rounds... |
Australian Touring Car Championship Australian Touring Car Championship The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The... |
7th | Ford Sierra RS500 | Shell Ultra Hi Racing Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000... |
| 1992 1992 Australian Touring Car Championship The 1992 Australian Touring Car Championship was the 33rd running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. It was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Group 3A Touring Cars, commonly known as Group A cars... |
Australian Touring Car Championship Australian Touring Car Championship The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The... |
4th | Ford Sierra RS500 | Shell Ultra Hi Racing Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000... |
| 1993 1993 Australian Touring Car Championship The 1993 Australian Touring Car Championship was the 34th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. It began on 28 February 1993 at Amaroo Park and ended on 8 August at Oran Park Raceway after nine rounds.... |
Australian Touring Car Championship Australian Touring Car Championship The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The... |
3rd | Ford EB Falcon Ford EB Falcon The Ford EB Falcon is a car which was produced by the Ford Motor Company in Australia between 1991 and 1993.Visually the 1991 EB remained nearly identical to its predecessor. The most noticeable change was the transfer of the Ford emblem from the tip of the bonnet to the grille... |
Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000... |
| 1994 1994 Australian Touring Car Championship The 1994 Australian Touring Car Championship was the 35th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. It began on 27 February 1994 at Amaroo Park and ended on 24 July at Oran Park Raceway after 10 rounds.-Teams and drivers:... |
Australian Touring Car Championship Australian Touring Car Championship The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The... |
6th | Ford EB Falcon Ford EB Falcon The Ford EB Falcon is a car which was produced by the Ford Motor Company in Australia between 1991 and 1993.Visually the 1991 EB remained nearly identical to its predecessor. The most noticeable change was the transfer of the Ford emblem from the tip of the bonnet to the grille... |
Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000... |
| 1995 1995 Australian Touring Car Championship The 1995 Shell Australian Touring Car Championship was the 36th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship and was run for cars eligible to CAMS Group 3A touring car specifications. It began on 5 February 1995 at Sandown Raceway and ended on 6 August at Oran Park Raceway after 10... |
Australian Touring Car Championship Australian Touring Car Championship The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The... |
1st | Ford EF Falcon Ford EF Falcon The Ford EF Falcon is a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between 1994 and 1996. A total of 192,100 EF models were produced prior to replacement of the EF by the Ford EL Falcon in 1996.-Introduction and changes:... |
Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000... |
| 1996 1996 Australian Touring Car Championship The 1996 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of 5.0 Litre Touring Cars complying with Australian Group 3A regulations. The championship, which was the 37th Australian Touring Car Championship, was promoted as the Shell Australian Touring Car... |
Australian Touring Car Championship Australian Touring Car Championship The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The... |
2nd | Ford EF Falcon Ford EF Falcon The Ford EF Falcon is a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between 1994 and 1996. A total of 192,100 EF models were produced prior to replacement of the EF by the Ford EL Falcon in 1996.-Introduction and changes:... |
Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000... |
| 1996 1996 Australian GT Production Car Championship The 1996 Australian GT Production Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Group 3E Series Production Cars. The championship, which was organised and promoted by Procar Australia, was contested over an eight round series with two races per round.* Round 1, Amaroo... |
Australian GT Production Car Championship Australian GT Production Car Championship The Australian GT Production Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title, organised by PROCAR Australia Pty Ltd, for drivers of Group 3E Series Production Cars.PROCAR had first promoted a national series for production based cars in 1994... |
5th | Ferrari F355 Challenge | Ross Palmer Motorsport |
| 1997 1997 Australian Touring Car Championship The 1997 Shell Australian Touring Car Championship was the 38th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship and was run for cars eligible to V8 Supercar specifications... |
Australian Touring Car Championship | 2nd | Ford EL Falcon Ford EL Falcon The Ford EL Falcon is a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between 1996 and 1998. The EL Falcon served as the final chapter of the fifth generation "E-series" architecture, which began with the EA of 1988. Ford discontinued the car in 1998, and replaced it... |
Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000... |
| 1997 1997 Australian GT Production Car Championship The 1997 Australian GT Production Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of Group 3E Series Production Cars.The title was contested over an eight round series with two races per round.... |
Australian GT Production Car Championship Australian GT Production Car Championship The Australian GT Production Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title, organised by PROCAR Australia Pty Ltd, for drivers of Group 3E Series Production Cars.PROCAR had first promoted a national series for production based cars in 1994... |
2nd | Ferrari F355 Challenge | Ross Palmer Motorsport |
| 1998 1998 Australian Touring Car Championship The 1998 Shell Australian Touring Car Championship was the 39th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship and was run for cars eligible to V8 Supercar specifications. It began on 1 February 1998 at Sandown Raceway and ended on 2 August at Oran Park Raceway after 10 rounds.-Teams and... |
Australian Touring Car Championship Australian Touring Car Championship The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The... |
5th | Ford EL Falcon Ford EL Falcon The Ford EL Falcon is a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between 1996 and 1998. The EL Falcon served as the final chapter of the fifth generation "E-series" architecture, which began with the EA of 1988. Ford discontinued the car in 1998, and replaced it... |
Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000... |
| 1998 1998 Australian GT Production Car Championship The 1998 Australian GT Production Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Group 3E Series Production Cars. The championship, which was promoted by Procar Australia, was the third Australian GT Production Car Championship.... |
Australian GT Production Car Championship Australian GT Production Car Championship The Australian GT Production Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title, organised by PROCAR Australia Pty Ltd, for drivers of Group 3E Series Production Cars.PROCAR had first promoted a national series for production based cars in 1994... |
5th | Ferrari F355 Challenge | Ross Palmer Motorsport |
| 1999 | Shell Championship Series V8 Supercar V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations... |
13th | Ford AU Falcon Ford AU Falcon The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia... |
PAE Motorsport |
| 2000 | Shell Championship Series V8 Supercar V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations... |
16th | Ford AU Falcon Ford AU Falcon The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia... |
John Briggs Motorsport |
| 2001 | Shell Championship Series V8 Supercar V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations... |
22nd | Ford AU Falcon Ford AU Falcon The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia... |
John Briggs Motorsport |
| 2001 2001 Australian GT Production Car Championship The 2001 Australian GT Production Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title open to production cars. It was the sixth Australian GT Production Car Championship to be awarded.... |
Australian GT Production Car Championship Australian GT Production Car Championship The Australian GT Production Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title, organised by PROCAR Australia Pty Ltd, for drivers of Group 3E Series Production Cars.PROCAR had first promoted a national series for production based cars in 1994... |
5th | Ford Mustang Cobra RA | Prancing Horse Racing |
| 2002 | V8Supercar Championship Series V8 Supercar V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations... |
12th | Ford AU Falcon Ford AU Falcon The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia... |
Brad Jones Racing Brad Jones Racing Brad Jones Racing is an Australian motor racing team centred around brothers Kim and Brad Jones and is based in Albury, New South Wales. Presently the team compete in the V8 Supercar Series, which they joined in 2000. Recently they have also returned to the Australian Formula Ford Championship... |
| 2002 2002 Australian Nations Cup Championship The 2002 Australian Nations Cup Championship was open to drivers of GT type cars complying with both Group 3E Series Production Cars regulations as published by CAMS and Nations Cup regulations as published by PROCAR... |
Australian Nations Cup Championship Australian Nations Cup Championship The Australian Nations Cup Championship was a motor racing title sanctioned by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport from 2000 to 2004.-History:... |
3rd | Ferrari 360 N-GT | Prancing Horse Racing |
| 2003 2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series The 2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series was a motor racing series for V8 Supercars. The series, which was the eighth V8 Supercar Championship Series, began on 22 March 2003 in Adelaide and ended on 30 November at Eastern Creek Raceway after 13 rounds... |
V8Supercar Championship Series V8 Supercar V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations... |
11th | Ford BA Falcon Ford BA Falcon The Ford BA Falcon is a full-size car, produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between September 2002 and October 2005. The exterior styling of the BA was a substantial revision of that used for the preceding AU model. A new independent rear suspension setup was fitted to all sedan... |
Brad Jones Racing Brad Jones Racing Brad Jones Racing is an Australian motor racing team centred around brothers Kim and Brad Jones and is based in Albury, New South Wales. Presently the team compete in the V8 Supercar Series, which they joined in 2000. Recently they have also returned to the Australian Formula Ford Championship... |
| 2003 2003 Australian Nations Cup Championship The 2003 Australian Nations Cup Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of GT sports cars complying with Group 2E Nations Cup regulations... |
Australian Nations Cup Championship Australian Nations Cup Championship The Australian Nations Cup Championship was a motor racing title sanctioned by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport from 2000 to 2004.-History:... |
2nd | Ferrari 360 N-GT | Prancing Horse Racing |
| 2004 2004 V8 Supercar Championship Series The 2004 V8 Supercar Championship Series featured the sixth running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. It began on 21 March 2004 in Adelaide and ended on 5 December at Eastern Creek Raceway after 13 rounds... |
V8Supercar Championship Series V8 Supercar V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations... |
9th | Ford BA Falcon Ford BA Falcon The Ford BA Falcon is a full-size car, produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between September 2002 and October 2005. The exterior styling of the BA was a substantial revision of that used for the preceding AU model. A new independent rear suspension setup was fitted to all sedan... |
Brad Jones Racing Brad Jones Racing Brad Jones Racing is an Australian motor racing team centred around brothers Kim and Brad Jones and is based in Albury, New South Wales. Presently the team compete in the V8 Supercar Series, which they joined in 2000. Recently they have also returned to the Australian Formula Ford Championship... |
| 2005 2005 V8 Supercar Championship Series The 2005 V8 Supercar season was the seventh running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. It began on 18 March 2005 in Adelaide and ended on 27 November at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit after 13 rounds.-Teams and drivers:... |
V8Supercar Championship Series V8 Supercar V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations... |
18th | Ford BA Falcon Ford BA Falcon The Ford BA Falcon is a full-size car, produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between September 2002 and October 2005. The exterior styling of the BA was a substantial revision of that used for the preceding AU model. A new independent rear suspension setup was fitted to all sedan... |
Brad Jones Racing Brad Jones Racing Brad Jones Racing is an Australian motor racing team centred around brothers Kim and Brad Jones and is based in Albury, New South Wales. Presently the team compete in the V8 Supercar Series, which they joined in 2000. Recently they have also returned to the Australian Formula Ford Championship... |
| 2006 2006 V8 Supercar Championship Series The 2006 V8 Supercar season was the 8th running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. It began on 25 March 2006 in Adelaide and ended on 10 December at Phillip Island after 13 rounds.-Race Calendar:... |
V8Supercar Championship Series V8 Supercar V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations... |
23rd | Ford BA Falcon Ford BA Falcon The Ford BA Falcon is a full-size car, produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between September 2002 and October 2005. The exterior styling of the BA was a substantial revision of that used for the preceding AU model. A new independent rear suspension setup was fitted to all sedan... |
Brad Jones Racing Brad Jones Racing Brad Jones Racing is an Australian motor racing team centred around brothers Kim and Brad Jones and is based in Albury, New South Wales. Presently the team compete in the V8 Supercar Series, which they joined in 2000. Recently they have also returned to the Australian Formula Ford Championship... |
| 2007 2007 V8 Supercar Championship Series The 2007 V8 Supercar season featured the ninth V8 Supercar Championship Series which began on 1 March and finished on 2 December. This championship consisted of 14 rounds covering all states and the Northern Territory of Australia as well as rounds in New Zealand and Bahrain... |
V8Supercar Championship Series V8 Supercar V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations... |
30th | Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006... |
Paul Cruickshank Racing Paul Cruickshank Racing Paul Cruickshank Racing was an Australian motor racing team that competed in several Sports Car and Touring Car categories.-V8 Supercar Championship:... |
| 2007 2007 Australian GT Championship season The 2007 Australian GT Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing championship open to closed production based sports cars as approved for FIA GT3 competition and to similar cars as approved by CAMS. The championship began on 3 February 2007 at Eastern Creek Raceway and ended on 9... |
Australian GT Championship Australian GT Championship The Australian GT Championship is a CAMS-sanctioned national title for drivers of GT cars, held annually from 1960 to 1963, from 1982 to 1985 and from 2005. Each championship up to and including the 1963 title was contested over a single race and those after that year over a series of races... |
12th | Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 Lamborghini Gallardo The Lamborghini Gallardo is a sports car built by Lamborghini. The Gallardo is Lamborghini's most-produced model to date, with over 10,000 built in its first seven years of production... |
Team Lamborghini Australia |
| 2008 2008 Australian GT Championship season The 2008 Australian GT Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of closed, production based sports cars which were either approved by the FIA for GT3 competition or approved by CAMS as Australian GT cars... |
Australian GT Championship Australian GT Championship The Australian GT Championship is a CAMS-sanctioned national title for drivers of GT cars, held annually from 1960 to 1963, from 1982 to 1985 and from 2005. Each championship up to and including the 1963 title was contested over a single race and those after that year over a series of races... |
5th | Ferrari 360 GT Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 |
Coopers www.consolidatedchem.com.au |
| 2008 | Touring Car Masters Touring Car Masters The Touring Car Masters is an Australian motor racing series open to modified touring cars manufactured between 01 January 1963 and 31 December 1976. It evolved out of a previous series for CAMS Group N Touring Cars but with a greater degree of modifications permitted to improve safety, reliability... |
2nd | Chevrolet Camaro First-generation Chevrolet Camaro The first-generation Chevrolet Camaro appeared on September 26, 1966, for the 1967 model year on an all brand new rear-wheel drive GM F-body platform and would be available as a 2-door, 2+2 seat, coupe or convertible with a choice of six-cylinder and V8 powerplants... |
Sunliner RV |
| 2009 | Touring Car Masters Touring Car Masters The Touring Car Masters is an Australian motor racing series open to modified touring cars manufactured between 01 January 1963 and 31 December 1976. It evolved out of a previous series for CAMS Group N Touring Cars but with a greater degree of modifications permitted to improve safety, reliability... |
2nd | Chevrolet Camaro First-generation Chevrolet Camaro The first-generation Chevrolet Camaro appeared on September 26, 1966, for the 1967 model year on an all brand new rear-wheel drive GM F-body platform and would be available as a 2-door, 2+2 seat, coupe or convertible with a choice of six-cylinder and V8 powerplants... |
Sunliner RV |
| 2010 | Touring Car Masters Touring Car Masters The Touring Car Masters is an Australian motor racing series open to modified touring cars manufactured between 01 January 1963 and 31 December 1976. It evolved out of a previous series for CAMS Group N Touring Cars but with a greater degree of modifications permitted to improve safety, reliability... |
3rd | Ford Mustang Ford Mustang (first generation) The first-generation Ford Mustang is the original pony car, manufactured by Ford Motor Company from 1964 until 1973.It was initially introduced as a hardtop and convertible with the fastback version put on sale the following year... |
John Bowe Racing |