Dick Johnson Racing
Encyclopedia
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 (five of them by Johnson himself) and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000
. The Gold Coast-based team campaign two Ford Falcon
s in the V8 Supercar championship, one bearing Dick Johnson's long standing racing number 17. The team has strongly identified itself with an image as a battler Queenslanders, frequently racing with state maps on the car. The team was based out of Johnson's family home in Brisbane's southern suburbs for most of its existence, before moving to a large specialist workshop and museum in Yatala
in the late 1990s.
The team's current drivers are Dick Johnson's son Steven Johnson, himself a veteran of touring car racing, and emerging rookie driver James Moffat
. The team's home circuit and test track is Queensland Raceway
.
Johnson was only a sporadic entrant in the Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC) during the early 1970s, but a regular competitor, and victor in the Queensland Touring Car Championship driving a Holden Torana
backed by petroleum giant Shell, and later by prominent Brisbane Holden dealership, Zupps. Johnson's national profile increased with the formation of Bryan Byrt Racing with Johnson as lead driver late in 1976, giving Johnson his first drives in a Ford Falcon. The team folded at the end of the 1979 season, but Johnson was able to utilise some of its resources to re-establish his own team for the following season.
After briefly investigating running a Mazda, Johnson came to the fore when a change in regulations introduced the XD Falcon
to the series. After debuting his new Falcon late in the year with a shakedown run at Amaroo Patk, the largely unheralded Johnson qualified on the front row for the 1980 Bathurst 1000
and quickly built a large lead over the first sixteen laps of the race, including putting a lap on four time Bathurst winner Peter Brock. On the seventeenth lap Johnson collided with the wall at The Cutting trying to avoid a large rock in the road and a tilt-tray tow truck that was retrieving a mechanically failed car from the circuit. The impact was enough to all but destroy the car. The tale of Johnson's battle with the rock at Bathurst in 1980
is still remembered and over $70,000 was donated by the public (which was matched by Ford Australia
) to get him back on track for the following season.
Inspired by the support and feeling a great sense of debt to the Australian public, Johnson went on to claim his first ATCC
crown and with co-driver John French
the Bathurst
the following year. Johnson and French becoame the first Queenslanders to win the Bathurst 1000. With Allan Moffat defecting to Mazda
and Johnson fast becoming an icon of the sport, the Queenslander became Ford's number one son in its battle with Holden's
own golden-haired boy, Peter Brock
.
While Johnson could not repeat his Bathurst victory in 1982, he did go on to win his second ATCC
title in the Tru Blu XD Falcon and in 1984
claimed his third national crown with an XE Falcon
painted green in honour of Ross Palmer's latest steel product, 'Greens Tuf'.
touring car regulations at the end of 1984, Johnson turned to the Germany and imported a pair of Zakspeed
constructed Mustangs for the 1985 and 1986 seasons. While the Mustang years brought limited success, reliability and good-handling in the underpowered Mustangs enabled Johnson to claim runner-up in the 1985 ATCC and his one and only victory aboard the Mustang in the 1985 AGP support race.
1987 saw the introduction of the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth
and the relaunch of the team as the Shell Ultra Hi Racing Team. Shell's increased involvement allowed Johnson to expand into a two-car effort for the first time, fellow Queenslander Gregg Hansford
becoming Johnson's first full time teammate. But reliability problems let the team down considerably and only one win was recorded throughout the 1987 season. The end of the ATCC coincided with the arrival of Ford's evolution of the Sierra, the Sierra RS500, and this proved its worth with a win in the AGP race at Adelaide in November.
Tasmanian John Bowe
joined the team the following year and together Johnson and Bowe claimed eight of the nine rounds of the 1988 ATCC
, with Johnson finishing the year as national champion. Success continued in 1989
when the team claimed its second Bathurst victory.
At the end of 1988, Britain's Robb Gravett
of Trakstar persuaded Dick Johnson to supply his team with his Sierra RS500s, cars that had beaten the official Ford entered cars in the annual Tourist Trophy race in 1988. Gravett was immediately on the pace of the Andy Rouse
prepared Sierras, and he won 4 races to finish the 1989 season 2nd in class and 4th overall. In 1990, Robb Gravett won the championship with 9 race wins.
As the new decade hit, so did the onslaught of Nissan, which made almost every other vehicle on the track obsolete with the introduction of its technologically advanced GT-R to the series. CAMS
did its best to create an even field by adding more weight to the Nissan, but it quickly gained a reputation as unstoppable. DJR was kept busy in 1992, not only trying to combat the achievements of the Nissans, but also in developing its Falcons in readiness for the V8 Formula in 1993.
, with John Bowe taking victory in the Shell Falcon. But the sweet smell of success did not last long, with DJR failing to take another victory until the following season. The wait proved to be well worth it, with Johnson and Bowe claiming both 1994 endurance races at Sandown
and Bathurst
. DJR headed into 1995 brimming with confidence and it was not misplaced, with Bowe taking his only ATCC
crown after a dominant display in the final round of the championship at Oran Park. A repeat victory at Sandown
that year augured well for another Bathurst win until an incident with Glenn Seton
forced the number 17 Falcon from the lead, and subsequently, the track.
While Holden dominated the 1996 season
, DJR still managed to pick up wins at the Indycar GP and was the first Ford home at Bathurst when Johnson and Bowe crossed the line in second place. While 1997
was not a fantastic year compared to previous seasons, consistency enabled Bowe to claim the runner-up position in the championship. The team did not fare better in the end of year endurance races with the Johnson/Bowe car failing to finish both races while the team's second car, driven by Steven Johnson and Craig Baird
, could only manage seventh at Sandown
and fourth in the Primus 1000
at Bathurst.
1998 saw Johnson and Bowe team up for yet another season, and Bowe did all the celebrating, securing pole position in the opening round of the series and again at the team's home track, Lakeside
. The first win of the season came at Winton
, but unfortunately for the team it was all down hill from there.
For the first time in 11 years, Johnson and Bowe did not team up for the endurance events, Bowe sharing the number 18 car with Cameron McConville
, while the father/son combination of Dick and Steven Johnson shared the other Falcon. Apart from a third place at Sandown
for the Bowe/McConville combination, the team's run of bad luck continued with both cars failing to finish the FAI 1000
at Bathurst.
Not long after, John Bowe rocked the motor racing world by announcing that after 11 years he was leaving DJR to start afresh with another team. After an exhaustive search, two-time World Touring Car Cup winner Paul Radisich
was announced as his replacement.
1999 proved to be a difficult year for the team. Between coping with the idiosyncrasies of the new AU Falcon, coming to grips with the new Bridgestone
control tyre and a new driver who had never seen, let alone raced on, the majority of the circuits, it was no wonder things were tough.
As the year progressed, things began to improve, with Radisich claiming his first Shell Championship pole before completely dominating the non-championship races at the Honda Indy. Radisich's form carried over the Bathurst, where the Kiwi
and his co-driver, Steven Ellery
, were the class of the field, dominating the FAI 1000
until a flat tyre in the dying stages of the race robbed the team of victory.
The last year of the 20th Century also marked the retirement of the great man himself, Dick Johnson, who chose to share his final race with son, Steven. The pair staged a memorable assault on The Mountain
, fighting for the lead throughout the race before eventually finishing in fourth place.
The start of the new millennium heralded the beginning of a new generation in the Shell Helix Racing Team; with Steven Johnson taking over the famous number 17 Falcon from his retiring father. After a full season behind the wheel, Paul Radisich had come to terms with the feel of the V8 and the circuits in the series, leaving him to finish the championship in fourth place in only his second attempt at the championship.
In Steven Johnson's first full year in the series, he also put in some credible performances, bringing his Shell Helix Falcon home in 11th place in the championship. Steven was joined for the Queensland 500
by father Dick, who made a one-off return to the driver's seat, but the pair failed to cross the line when mechanical difficulties left their Falcon unable to continue.
Jason Bright
joined Radisich for the endurance races and Cameron McLean came on board to partner Steven Johnson for the 2000 FAI 1000
. The Radisich/Bright duo crossed the line in second place in the famous Bathurst event, while the pairing of Johnson/McLean finished not far behind in fourth place.
2001 saw Johnson break through with his first ever V8 Supercar pole position, first ever V8 Supercar race win and first ever V8 Supercar round victory. He also finished the Championship in fifth place, the first Ford home.
Probably the team’s most forgetful year in recent history, 2002 saw a mixed bag of results for Steve Johnson and Paul Radisich. Struggling to find the correct set up all year, a number of on track incidents involving the duo proved expensive for the team in its pursuit of a V8 Supercar series championship. While 2002 saw some disappointing qualifying times, to their credit, Steve and Paul were consistent come race day, regularly making their way through the field to post a credible finish position. In 2002 Greg Ritter
joined the team for endurance events and piloted a third car, #71 for a selection of other races. Greg’s performance highlight was at the gruelling Bob Jane T-Marts 1000
, where he teamed with 1980 F1 World Champion Alan Jones to record a respectable seventh.
2003 saw new cars, new colours, a new driver and new commercial and technical resources herald the rebirth of Australia’s oldest professional motor racing team. Sporting all-new Shell Helix colours the team signed Brazilian international Max Wilson
to drive its number 18 entry in 2003. Shell Helix Racing went into 2003 with more resources than ever before and a new commitment to success.
The early season hard work was starting to show in the latter half of the season with both drivers making the top-ten repeatedly. Johnson, partnered by Warren Luff
, made the shootouts at both Sandown and Bathurst and showed everyone that he had lost none of his competitiveness with two eighth placings, and an overall top-six result at Indy. At the same time Wilson took pride of place in the series final three shootouts and drove to a spectacular podium at Eastern Creek
.
There were further changes to Shell Helix Racing by the start of the 2004 season. Wilson had returned to his original team, and Warren Luff, who had already proven his worth with two magnificent drives in the Konica
and main series at Bathurst in 2003, was recruited to full-time driver alongside stalwart Steven Johnson.
It may have been a slow start to 2004 but the sleeping giant of V8 Supercars arose from its slumber by mid-season when Johnson and Luff drove to third at Sandown
. Enjoying the success, Johnson and Luff took their strong form to Bathurst
but could not pull off the win.
The only team to four-stop, Johnson led Marcus Ambrose into the pits for his final stop but a wheel problem prevented him from staying in front. With second almost wrapped up, former team mate Paul Radisich parked his Ford at the top of the mountain forcing the safety car. Several cars took advantage of this, pitted and re-entered the race ahead of the number 17 Ford. Johnson and Luff eventually finished seventh.
With back-to-back top 10 placing’s, Johnson’s aim for the remainder of the season was to secure outright 10th in the Championship. With three more top 10 finishes he did just that and for the first time since 2001 Shell Helix Racing saw itself in the end of season top 10.
Dick Johnson’s team may have finished the season strongly on the track but behind closed doors DJR was dealing with a situation that it had not experienced for many years. It’s naming sponsor, and supporter of more than three decades, Shell, was exiting the sport. Senior management had their work cut out as they frantically searched for a new organisation to take over sponsorship.
In early 2005 DJR had secured Westpoint Finance as the major team sponsor. The team was called Westpoint Racing which saw DJR return to its traditional blue and white colours. 2005 again saw a change in driver line up with Warren Luff departing and racing legend Glenn Seton replacing him in the number 18 Ford. The season ended strongly for the Dick Johnson Racing team, but the end of the year brought a close to the team’s association with Westpoint and Glenn Seton.
In 2006, DJR embarked on one of the boldest journeys in the team’s history. With the formation of Dick Johnson's own business ventures, FirstRock Mortgage Centre and V8 Telecom, the team was ‘self sponsored’ with regards to naming rights for the very first time.
The # 17 BA Falcon, backed by FirstRock Mortgage Centre was piloted by Steve, while young gun Will Davison
embarked on his first full season of V8 Supercar racing in the # 18 V8 Telecom BA Falcon. Mid season saw a livery change of Davisons’ # 18 car to a striking blue and white colour scheme with the increased support of holiday specialists, Accor Premiere Vacation Club.
Despite limited funding, the team made great gains during the 2006 season
, with Steve consistently placing in the Top 10 cars, and Will showing plenty of speed throughout the latter half of the year to post some great results, many of them also well within the Top 10. Will also made his first appearance in the Top 10 shootout at Phillip Island
, qualifying in 8th position.
The season ended well for Dick Johnson Racing, with Steve finishing in 9th position in the drivers’ standings, Will finishing 19th in a very promising rookie year and the team completed the year in 6th place, ahead of several other high profile teams.
2007 was a turning point for Dick Johnson Racing with Jim Beam
coming on board as major sponsor of the team and the launch of a new DJR fan club – DJR Team Mates. The team transformed as Jim Beam Racing and along with the new naming rights sponsor came improved results and the 2007 Best Presented team award from V8 Supercars.
Steve Johnson and Will Davison were very consistent during the season, recording an emphatic 3rd place at Bathurst
after a nail-biting finish where the pair came very close winning the prestigious race. Although Johnson and Davison didn’t win the race, the result was the pinnacle of a long road back for Dick Johnson Racing after its highly publicised financial battle.
The drivers also made their presence felt at the Bahrain
international round, where Johnson qualified on the front row of the grid and backed this up with 3rd place for the round, his second podium place for the year. Davison was right on the tail of his team mate, finishing the round in 4th place.
Davison finished the 2007 championship
in 10th; his first V8 Supercar Top 10 championship result in only his second full season in the category. Johnson was close on his tail in 12th and although his form during the year was good, mechanical issues were the cause of a few poor results during the season which denied Johnson a chance of a Top 10 championship finish.
James Courtney
and Steve Johnson have been confirmed that they are the two drivers for DJR racing 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series
. They will drive two brand new Triple 8 built FG Falcons
. During the 2009 V8 Supercar Series
, James Courtney
was able to gain wins at the Townsville 400 and the Sydney 500
.
James Courtney
and Steven Johnson once again drove for the team with continued support from Jim Beam
, however, a third entry was entered by Tekno Autosports
as a customer, to be driven by Jonathon Webb
, with backing from Mother. Throughout the season, James Courtney was successful taking victories at Queensland Raceway
, Winton Motor Raceway
, Sandown Raceway
and at the non-championship Australian Grand Prix
. He led the season from May, right through to the final round in Sydney, where he claimed the team's first championship in 15 years. On that same weekend, Jonathon Webb scored his breakthrough victory to finish 13th in the standings, the highest of any reigning V8 Supercar Development Series Champion.
Courtney left the team after the falling out between co-owners Dick Johnson and Charlie Schwerkolt. In late January, it was announced that James Moffat
, son of Ford legend, Allan Moffat
would drive for the team throughout 2011.
DJR is based on the Gold Coast
. The factory also housed a museum of the teams history. In 2006 Johnson sold his museum racing vehicles to car collector David Bowden. By arrangement with Bowden, a selection of Bowden's significant racing cars will rotate through the museum in DJR's workshop.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven 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...
titles (five of them by Johnson himself) and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000
Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
. The Gold Coast-based team campaign two Ford Falcon
Ford 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...
s in the V8 Supercar championship, one bearing Dick Johnson's long standing racing number 17. The team has strongly identified itself with an image as a battler Queenslanders, frequently racing with state maps on the car. The team was based out of Johnson's family home in Brisbane's southern suburbs for most of its existence, before moving to a large specialist workshop and museum in Yatala
Yatala, Queensland
Yatala is a suburb in the outer northern areas of Gold Coast City in Queensland, Australia.Surrounding suburbs of Yatala include Beenleigh, Windaroo, and Stapylton...
in the late 1990s.
The team's current drivers are Dick Johnson's son Steven Johnson, himself a veteran of touring car racing, and emerging rookie driver James Moffat
James Moffat (racing driver)
James Moffat is an Australian racing driver who currently competes for the Dick Johnson Racing team in the 2011 International V8 Supercars Championship....
. The team's home circuit and test track is 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....
.
Early years and Group C
The longest-established motor racing team in Australia, Dick Johnson Racing was founded more than 35 years ago, when Dick Johnson earned his first commercial support from long-time sponsor, Shell Australia. The team was originally based out of Johnson's home in Brisbane southern suburbs.Johnson was only a sporadic entrant in the Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC) during the early 1970s, but a regular competitor, and victor in the Queensland Touring Car Championship driving a Holden Torana
Holden Torana
The Holden Torana is a car which was produced by General Motors–Holden's , the Australian subsidiary of General Motors from 1967 to 1980. The name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "to fly". The first Torana appeared in 1967 and was a four-cylinder compact vehicle that had its origins in the...
backed by petroleum giant Shell, and later by prominent Brisbane Holden dealership, Zupps. Johnson's national profile increased with the formation of Bryan Byrt Racing with Johnson as lead driver late in 1976, giving Johnson his first drives in a Ford Falcon. The team folded at the end of the 1979 season, but Johnson was able to utilise some of its resources to re-establish his own team for the following season.
After briefly investigating running a Mazda, Johnson came to the fore when a change in regulations introduced the XD Falcon
Ford XD Falcon
The Ford XD Falcon is a car that was produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between 1979 and 1982.The XD series was introduced on 28 March 1979 and was initially offered in five models:* Falcon GL * Fairmont...
to the series. After debuting his new Falcon late in the year with a shakedown run at Amaroo Patk, the largely unheralded Johnson qualified on the front row for the 1980 Bathurst 1000
1980 Hardie-Ferodo 1000
The 1980 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 was the 21st running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on 5 October 1980 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia...
and quickly built a large lead over the first sixteen laps of the race, including putting a lap on four time Bathurst winner Peter Brock. On the seventeenth lap Johnson collided with the wall at The Cutting trying to avoid a large rock in the road and a tilt-tray tow truck that was retrieving a mechanically failed car from the circuit. The impact was enough to all but destroy the car. The tale of Johnson's battle with the rock at Bathurst in 1980
1980 Hardie-Ferodo 1000
The 1980 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 was the 21st running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on 5 October 1980 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia...
is still remembered and over $70,000 was donated by the public (which was matched by Ford Australia
Ford Australia
Ford Australia is the Australian subsidiary of Ford Motor Company and was founded in Geelong, Victoria, in 1925 as an outpost of Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. At that time, Ford Canada was a separate company from Ford USA...
) to get him back on track for the following season.
1981 Australian Touring Car Championship
The 1981 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Group C Touring Cars. The championship, which was the 22nd running of the Australian Touring Car Championship, began at Symmons Plains Raceway and ended at Lakeside International Raceway after 8...
crown and with co-driver John French
John French (racing driver)
John French is a retired Australian racing driver.French had a long career throughout the 60s and 70s and the early 80s. He won the 1962 Australian GT Championship driving a Centaur-Waggott and in 1969 French paired with Allan Moffat to win the Sandown Three Hour race in a Ford Falcon GTHO...
the Bathurst
1981 James Hardie 1000
The 1981 James Hardie 1000 was the 22nd running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on 4 October 1981 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst...
the following year. Johnson and French becoame the first Queenslanders to win the Bathurst 1000. With Allan Moffat defecting to Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
and Johnson fast becoming an icon of the sport, the Queenslander became Ford's number one son in its battle with Holden's
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
own golden-haired boy, 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...
.
While Johnson could not repeat his Bathurst victory in 1982, he did go on to win his second ATCC
1982 Australian Touring Car Championship
The 1982 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title open to Group C Touring Cars. It began on 18 February 1982 at Sandown Raceway and ended on 16 May at Oran Park Raceway after eight rounds...
title in the Tru Blu XD Falcon and in 1984
1984 Australian Touring Car Championship
The 1984 Australian Touring Car Championship was the 25th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship, and was the last year of Group C regulations. The following year would see the introduction of the international Group A regulations...
claimed his third national crown with an XE Falcon
Ford XE Falcon
The Ford XE Falcon is a car which was produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between 1982 and 1984. Introduced on 11 March 1982, the XE was a revised version of the XD Falcon, which it replaced...
painted green in honour of Ross Palmer's latest steel product, 'Greens Tuf'.
Group A Mustangs and Sierras
With no local Ford product suitable following a change to international Group AGroup A
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition. In contrast to the short-lived Group B and Group C, the Group A referred to production-derived vehicles limited in terms of power, weight, allowed...
touring car regulations at the end of 1984, Johnson turned to the Germany and imported a pair of Zakspeed
Zakspeed
Zakspeed is a motor racing team from Germany, founded in 1968 by Erich Zakowski and nowadays run by his son Peter Zakowski. Their home town of Niederzissen is located not far away from the Nürburgring race track.-1973 to 1981: Saloon and sports car racing:...
constructed Mustangs for the 1985 and 1986 seasons. While the Mustang years brought limited success, reliability and good-handling in the underpowered Mustangs enabled Johnson to claim runner-up in the 1985 ATCC and his one and only victory aboard the Mustang in the 1985 AGP support race.
1987 saw the introduction of the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth
Ford Sierra RS Cosworth
The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was a high-performance version of the Ford Sierra. It was the result of a Ford Motorsport project with the purpose of producing an outright winner for Group A racing in Europe.- Development :...
and the relaunch of the team as the Shell Ultra Hi Racing Team. Shell's increased involvement allowed Johnson to expand into a two-car effort for the first time, fellow Queenslander 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...
becoming Johnson's first full time teammate. But reliability problems let the team down considerably and only one win was recorded throughout the 1987 season. The end of the ATCC coincided with the arrival of Ford's evolution of the Sierra, the Sierra RS500, and this proved its worth with a win in the AGP race at Adelaide in November.
Tasmanian John Bowe
John Bowe (racing driver)
John Bowe is an Australian racing driver, presently racing a 1969 Ford Mustang in the historic series, Touring Car Masters....
joined the team the following year and together Johnson and Bowe claimed eight of the nine rounds of the 1988 ATCC
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...
, with Johnson finishing the year as national champion. Success continued in 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...
when the team claimed its second Bathurst victory.
At the end of 1988, Britain's Robb Gravett
Robb Gravett
Robb Gravett is a British retired racing driver and team owner, a winner of the 1987 Willhire 24 Hour, and the 1990 British Touring Car Championship winner with his own Trakstar team, in a Ford Sierra prepared by Australian magnate Dick Johnson...
of Trakstar persuaded Dick Johnson to supply his team with his Sierra RS500s, cars that had beaten the official Ford entered cars in the annual Tourist Trophy race in 1988. Gravett was immediately on the pace of the Andy Rouse
Andy Rouse
Andrew "Andy" Rouse is an English racing driver, most notably in the BTCC. He won the BTCC in 1975, 1983, 1984 and 1985....
prepared Sierras, and he won 4 races to finish the 1989 season 2nd in class and 4th overall. In 1990, Robb Gravett won the championship with 9 race wins.
As the new decade hit, so did the onslaught of Nissan, which made almost every other vehicle on the track obsolete with the introduction of its technologically advanced GT-R to the series. CAMS
Confederation of Australian Motor Sport
The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport , has been the governing body of Australian motorsport since 1953. It is affiliated with the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile ....
did its best to create an even field by adding more weight to the Nissan, but it quickly gained a reputation as unstoppable. DJR was kept busy in 1992, not only trying to combat the achievements of the Nissans, but also in developing its Falcons in readiness for the V8 Formula in 1993.
Ford Falcon and V8 Supercars
The first round of the V8 Championship was held at Amaroo ParkAmaroo 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...
, with John Bowe taking victory in the Shell Falcon. But the sweet smell of success did not last long, with DJR failing to take another victory until the following season. The wait proved to be well worth it, with Johnson and Bowe claiming both 1994 endurance races at Sandown
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....
and Bathurst
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...
. DJR headed into 1995 brimming with confidence and it was not misplaced, with Bowe taking his only ATCC
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...
crown after a dominant display in the final round of the championship at Oran Park. A repeat victory at Sandown
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...
that year augured well for another Bathurst win until an incident with 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 ,...
forced the number 17 Falcon from the lead, and subsequently, the track.
While Holden dominated the 1996 season
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...
, DJR still managed to pick up wins at the Indycar GP and was the first Ford home at Bathurst when Johnson and Bowe crossed the line in second place. While 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...
was not a fantastic year compared to previous seasons, consistency enabled Bowe to claim the runner-up position in the championship. The team did not fare better in the end of year endurance races with the Johnson/Bowe car failing to finish both races while the team's second car, driven by Steven Johnson and Craig Baird
Craig Baird
Craig George Baird MNZM is a race car driver. Baird is a very successful driver in his homeland, winning three consecutive New Zealand Formula Atlantic championship titles , and then four consecutive New Zealand Touring Car Championship titles .Since then Baird has raced in Australian Super...
, could only manage seventh at Sandown
1997 Tickford 500
The 1997 Tickford 500 was the 32nd running of the Sandown 500 touring car endurance race. It was held on 14 September 1997 at the Sandown Raceway in Melbourne, Victoria.-Top ten shootout:-Official results:-External links:* *...
and fourth in the Primus 1000
1997 Primus 1000 Classic
The 1997 Primus 1000 Classic was the first running of the Australia 1000 race, sometimes known as the Bathurst Classic. The race was created in response to V8Supercar's need to hold an event at the massively popular Mount Panorama Circuit, without competing in the Bathurst 1000 as V8Supercar...
at Bathurst.
1998 saw Johnson and Bowe team up for yet another season, and Bowe did all the celebrating, securing pole position in the opening round of the series and again at the team's home track, 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....
. The first win of the season came 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...
, but unfortunately for the team it was all down hill from there.
For the first time in 11 years, Johnson and Bowe did not team up for the endurance events, Bowe sharing the number 18 car with Cameron McConville
Cameron McConville
Cameron 'Cam' McConville is an Australian racing driver and motorsport media personality. While retired from full-time competition McConville still races occasionally and is an indemand endurance event co-driver. McConville spent 14 years as a professional driver, ten of those in the largest...
, while the father/son combination of Dick and Steven Johnson shared the other Falcon. Apart from a third place at Sandown
1998 Tickford 500
The 1998 Tickford 500 was an endurance motor race for V8 Supercars. The event, which was the 33rd running of the Sandown 500, was held on 12 September 1998 at the Sandown International Motor Raceway in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-Class Structure:...
for the Bowe/McConville combination, the team's run of bad luck continued with both cars failing to finish the FAI 1000
1998 FAI 1000
The 1998 FAI 1000 Classic was the second running of the Australia 1000 race, first held after the organisational split over the Bathurst 1000 the previous year. It was the 41st race that traces its lineage back to the 1960 Armstrong 500 held at Phillip Island...
at Bathurst.
Not long after, John Bowe rocked the motor racing world by announcing that after 11 years he was leaving DJR to start afresh with another team. After an exhaustive search, two-time World Touring Car Cup winner Paul Radisich
Paul Radisich
Paul Radisich is a New Zealand racing driver of Croat origin. He has competed in saloon cars for many years - both European-style tourers and the V8 Supercars of Australia and New Zealand.-Early years:...
was announced as his replacement.
1999 proved to be a difficult year for the team. Between coping with the idiosyncrasies of the new AU Falcon, coming to grips with the new Bridgestone
Bridgestone
The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese....
control tyre and a new driver who had never seen, let alone raced on, the majority of the circuits, it was no wonder things were tough.
As the year progressed, things began to improve, with Radisich claiming his first Shell Championship pole before completely dominating the non-championship races at the Honda Indy. Radisich's form carried over the Bathurst, where the Kiwi
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and his co-driver, Steven Ellery
Steven Ellery
Steven Ellery is a retired Australian racing driver.Since 1994 Ellery has made 120 championship starts. He has recorded three podium finishes at the Bathurst 1000. Ellery has not raced full time in the series since the end of the 2005. season.-Career results:-References:...
, were the class of the field, dominating the FAI 1000
1999 FAI 1000
The 1999 FAI 1000 was an endurance race for V8 Supercars. The event was held on November 14, 1999 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia and was the thirteenth and final round of the 1999 Shell Championship Series....
until a flat tyre in the dying stages of the race robbed the team of victory.
The last year of the 20th Century also marked the retirement of the great man himself, Dick Johnson, who chose to share his final race with son, Steven. The pair staged a memorable assault on The Mountain
Mount Panorama Circuit
Mount Panorama Circuit is a motor racing track located in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. It is the home of the Bathurst 12 Hour motor race, held each February, and the Bathurst 1000 motor race, held each October...
, fighting for the lead throughout the race before eventually finishing in fourth place.
The start of the new millennium heralded the beginning of a new generation in the Shell Helix Racing Team; with Steven Johnson taking over the famous number 17 Falcon from his retiring father. After a full season behind the wheel, Paul Radisich had come to terms with the feel of the V8 and the circuits in the series, leaving him to finish the championship in fourth place in only his second attempt at the championship.
In Steven Johnson's first full year in the series, he also put in some credible performances, bringing his Shell Helix Falcon home in 11th place in the championship. Steven was joined for the Queensland 500
Queensland 500
The Queensland 500 was originally a V8 Supercar endurance touring car race held from 1999 to 2002. The race was held at Queensland Raceway near Ipswich. It replaced the Sandown 500 when it relinquished its role as the two-driver warm up event for the Bathurst 1000...
by father Dick, who made a one-off return to the driver's seat, but the pair failed to cross the line when mechanical difficulties left their Falcon unable to continue.
Jason Bright
Jason Bright
Jason Bright is an Australian racing driver currently competing in the V8 Supercar series.-Australia:...
joined Radisich for the endurance races and Cameron McLean came on board to partner Steven Johnson for the 2000 FAI 1000
2000 FAI 1000
The 2000 FAI 1000 was the fourth running of the Australia 1000 race, first held after the organisational split over the Bathurst 1000 that occurred in 1997. It was the 38th anniversary of the original touring car endurance race held at the Mount Panorama Circuit in 1963...
. The Radisich/Bright duo crossed the line in second place in the famous Bathurst event, while the pairing of Johnson/McLean finished not far behind in fourth place.
2001 saw Johnson break through with his first ever V8 Supercar pole position, first ever V8 Supercar race win and first ever V8 Supercar round victory. He also finished the Championship in fifth place, the first Ford home.
Probably the team’s most forgetful year in recent history, 2002 saw a mixed bag of results for Steve Johnson and Paul Radisich. Struggling to find the correct set up all year, a number of on track incidents involving the duo proved expensive for the team in its pursuit of a V8 Supercar series championship. While 2002 saw some disappointing qualifying times, to their credit, Steve and Paul were consistent come race day, regularly making their way through the field to post a credible finish position. In 2002 Greg Ritter
Greg Ritter
Greg Ritter is an Australian racing driver. He was the winner of the 1999 Australian Formula Ford Championship. and shared the winning drive at the 2004 Betta Electrical 500-Career results:-External links:*...
joined the team for endurance events and piloted a third car, #71 for a selection of other races. Greg’s performance highlight was at the gruelling Bob Jane T-Marts 1000
2002 Bob Jane T-Marts 1000
The 2002 Bob Jane T-Marts Bathurst 1000 was the sixth running of the Australia 1000 race, first held after the organisational split over the Bathurst 1000 that occurred in 1997...
, where he teamed with 1980 F1 World Champion Alan Jones to record a respectable seventh.
2003 saw new cars, new colours, a new driver and new commercial and technical resources herald the rebirth of Australia’s oldest professional motor racing team. Sporting all-new Shell Helix colours the team signed Brazilian international Max Wilson
Max Wilson
Max Wilson, , is a racing driver of Brazilian parentage.He started his motor racing career in 1985 in go-karts...
to drive its number 18 entry in 2003. Shell Helix Racing went into 2003 with more resources than ever before and a new commitment to success.
The early season hard work was starting to show in the latter half of the season with both drivers making the top-ten repeatedly. Johnson, partnered by Warren Luff
Warren Luff
Warren Luff born 21 April 1976 in Sydney Australia, is best known as a race driver, stunt driver and driver training instructor. He is the son of well known driver training instructor Ian Luff...
, made the shootouts at both Sandown and Bathurst and showed everyone that he had lost none of his competitiveness with two eighth placings, and an overall top-six result at Indy. At the same time Wilson took pride of place in the series final three shootouts and drove to a spectacular podium at Eastern Creek
Eastern Creek Raceway
Eastern Creek International Raceway is a motorsports circuit located on Brabham Drive, Eastern Creek , New South Wales, Australia, adjacent to the Western Sydney International Dragway. It was built and is owned by the New South Wales Government and is operated by the...
.
There were further changes to Shell Helix Racing by the start of the 2004 season. Wilson had returned to his original team, and Warren Luff, who had already proven his worth with two magnificent drives in the Konica
Konica
was a Japanese manufacturer of, among other products, film, film cameras, camera accessories, photographic and photo-processing equipment, photocopiers, fax machines and laser printers.- History :...
and main series at Bathurst in 2003, was recruited to full-time driver alongside stalwart Steven Johnson.
It may have been a slow start to 2004 but the sleeping giant of V8 Supercars arose from its slumber by mid-season when Johnson and Luff drove to third at Sandown
2004 Betta Electrical 500
The 2004 Betta Electrical Sandown 500 the ninth round of the Australian 2004 V8 Supercar Championship Series. It was held on the weekend of the 10 to 12 September at Sandown International Raceway in Melbourne, Victoria....
. Enjoying the success, Johnson and Luff took their strong form to Bathurst
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...
but could not pull off the win.
The only team to four-stop, Johnson led Marcus Ambrose into the pits for his final stop but a wheel problem prevented him from staying in front. With second almost wrapped up, former team mate Paul Radisich parked his Ford at the top of the mountain forcing the safety car. Several cars took advantage of this, pitted and re-entered the race ahead of the number 17 Ford. Johnson and Luff eventually finished seventh.
With back-to-back top 10 placing’s, Johnson’s aim for the remainder of the season was to secure outright 10th in the Championship. With three more top 10 finishes he did just that and for the first time since 2001 Shell Helix Racing saw itself in the end of season top 10.
Dick Johnson’s team may have finished the season strongly on the track but behind closed doors DJR was dealing with a situation that it had not experienced for many years. It’s naming sponsor, and supporter of more than three decades, Shell, was exiting the sport. Senior management had their work cut out as they frantically searched for a new organisation to take over sponsorship.
In early 2005 DJR had secured Westpoint Finance as the major team sponsor. The team was called Westpoint Racing which saw DJR return to its traditional blue and white colours. 2005 again saw a change in driver line up with Warren Luff departing and racing legend Glenn Seton replacing him in the number 18 Ford. The season ended strongly for the Dick Johnson Racing team, but the end of the year brought a close to the team’s association with Westpoint and Glenn Seton.
In 2006, DJR embarked on one of the boldest journeys in the team’s history. With the formation of Dick Johnson's own business ventures, FirstRock Mortgage Centre and V8 Telecom, the team was ‘self sponsored’ with regards to naming rights for the very first time.
The # 17 BA Falcon, backed by FirstRock Mortgage Centre was piloted by Steve, while young gun Will Davison
Will Davison
Will Davison is an Australian racing driver. He currently competes with Ford Performance Racing in the #6 Trading Post FPR Falcon, in the premier Australian touring car class, V8 Supercar.-Early career:...
embarked on his first full season of V8 Supercar racing in the # 18 V8 Telecom BA Falcon. Mid season saw a livery change of Davisons’ # 18 car to a striking blue and white colour scheme with the increased support of holiday specialists, Accor Premiere Vacation Club.
Despite limited funding, the team made great gains during the 2006 season
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:...
, with Steve consistently placing in the Top 10 cars, and Will showing plenty of speed throughout the latter half of the year to post some great results, many of them also well within the Top 10. Will also made his first appearance in the Top 10 shootout at Phillip Island
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is a motor racing racing circuit on Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia. The circuit was opened in 1956.-Road circuit:...
, qualifying in 8th position.
The season ended well for Dick Johnson Racing, with Steve finishing in 9th position in the drivers’ standings, Will finishing 19th in a very promising rookie year and the team completed the year in 6th place, ahead of several other high profile teams.
2007 was a turning point for Dick Johnson Racing with Jim Beam
Jim Beam
Jim Beam is a brand of bourbon whiskey produced in Clermont, Kentucky. It is currently one of the best selling brands of bourbon in the world. Since 1795 , seven generations of the Beam family have been involved in whiskey production for the company that produces the brand, which was given the name...
coming on board as major sponsor of the team and the launch of a new DJR fan club – DJR Team Mates. The team transformed as Jim Beam Racing and along with the new naming rights sponsor came improved results and the 2007 Best Presented team award from V8 Supercars.
Steve Johnson and Will Davison were very consistent during the season, recording an emphatic 3rd place at Bathurst
2007 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000
The 2007 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 was an endurance race for V8 Supercars, held on 7 October 2007 at the Mount Panorama Circuit near Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia...
after a nail-biting finish where the pair came very close winning the prestigious race. Although Johnson and Davison didn’t win the race, the result was the pinnacle of a long road back for Dick Johnson Racing after its highly publicised financial battle.
The drivers also made their presence felt at the Bahrain
2007 Desert 400
The 2007 Desert 400 was the twelfth round of the 2007 V8 Supercar season. It was held on the weekend of the 1 to 3 November at Bahrain International Circuit in Bahrain.-External links:*...
international round, where Johnson qualified on the front row of the grid and backed this up with 3rd place for the round, his second podium place for the year. Davison was right on the tail of his team mate, finishing the round in 4th place.
Davison finished the 2007 championship
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...
in 10th; his first V8 Supercar Top 10 championship result in only his second full season in the category. Johnson was close on his tail in 12th and although his form during the year was good, mechanical issues were the cause of a few poor results during the season which denied Johnson a chance of a Top 10 championship finish.
James Courtney
James Courtney
James Courtney is an Australian racing driver who competes in the V8 Supercar Championship. He is the current Australian Touring Car Champion after winning the 2010 title for Dick Johnson Racing....
and Steve Johnson have been confirmed that they are the two drivers for DJR racing 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series
2009 V8 Supercar season
The 2009 V8 Supercar season is the thirteenth series in which V8Supercars contested the senior Australian touring car series. It is the 50th year of touring car racing in Australia since the first runnings of the Australian Touring Car Championship, known today as the V8 Supercar Championship...
. They will drive two brand new Triple 8 built FG Falcons
Ford FG Falcon
The Ford FG Falcon is a full-size car produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia since 2008. The FG series is the current model of the Ford Falcon and is the seventh generation of the car...
. During the 2009 V8 Supercar Series
2009 V8 Supercar season
The 2009 V8 Supercar season is the thirteenth series in which V8Supercars contested the senior Australian touring car series. It is the 50th year of touring car racing in Australia since the first runnings of the Australian Touring Car Championship, known today as the V8 Supercar Championship...
, James Courtney
James Courtney
James Courtney is an Australian racing driver who competes in the V8 Supercar Championship. He is the current Australian Touring Car Champion after winning the 2010 title for Dick Johnson Racing....
was able to gain wins at the Townsville 400 and the Sydney 500
Homebush Street Circuit
The Homebush Street Circuit is a temporary street circuit around the former Olympic precinct at Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney, New South Wales. The track was used for the first time at the final round of the 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series, the inaugural Sydney 500.-The circuit:The circuit was...
.
Champions Again
In 20102010 V8 Supercar Championship Series
The 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series was an FIA sanctioned international motor racing series for V8 Supercars. It was the twelfth V8 Supercar Championship Series and the fourteenth series in which V8 Supercars have contested the premier Australian touring car title...
James Courtney
James Courtney
James Courtney is an Australian racing driver who competes in the V8 Supercar Championship. He is the current Australian Touring Car Champion after winning the 2010 title for Dick Johnson Racing....
and Steven Johnson once again drove for the team with continued support from Jim Beam
Jim Beam
Jim Beam is a brand of bourbon whiskey produced in Clermont, Kentucky. It is currently one of the best selling brands of bourbon in the world. Since 1795 , seven generations of the Beam family have been involved in whiskey production for the company that produces the brand, which was given the name...
, however, a third entry was entered by Tekno Autosports
Tekno Autosports
Tekno Autosports is an Australian motor racing team, established in the early 2000s initially for the motor racing activities of Steve Webb, and later his son Jonathon Webb. The Gold Coast-based team runs a racing entitlement contract to compete in the International V8 Supercars Championship...
as a customer, to be driven by Jonathon Webb
Jonathon Webb
Jonathon Webb is an Australian motor racing driver, currently competing in the V8 Supercar Championship Series....
, with backing from Mother. Throughout the season, James Courtney was successful taking victories 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....
, Winton Motor Raceway
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...
, Sandown Raceway
Sandown Raceway
Sandown International Raceway is a motor racing circuit in Melbourne, Victoria, approximately south east of the city centre. It is considered a power circuit with its front straight being 899m long and back straight 910m long.-History:...
and at the non-championship Australian Grand Prix
2010 Australian Grand Prix
The 2010 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 28 March 2010 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia. It was the second race of the 2010 Formula One season. The race was won by McLaren driver Jenson Button, the first back-to-back Australian Grand Prix winner...
. He led the season from May, right through to the final round in Sydney, where he claimed the team's first championship in 15 years. On that same weekend, Jonathon Webb scored his breakthrough victory to finish 13th in the standings, the highest of any reigning V8 Supercar Development Series Champion.
Courtney left the team after the falling out between co-owners Dick Johnson and Charlie Schwerkolt. In late January, it was announced that James Moffat
James Moffat (racing driver)
James Moffat is an Australian racing driver who currently competes for the Dick Johnson Racing team in the 2011 International V8 Supercars Championship....
, son of Ford legend, Allan Moffat
Allan Moffat
Allan George Moffat, OBE is an Australian racing driver known for his four wins in the Australian Touring Car Championship, six wins in the Sandown 500 and his four wins in the Bathurst 1000...
would drive for the team throughout 2011.
Other interests
DJR briefly produced a road car, the DJR HP320, a performance car based on the Ford Falcon. The Dick Johnson Group also ran financial, real estate, and telecommunications services, which have since been sold.DJR is based on the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
. The factory also housed a museum of the teams history. In 2006 Johnson sold his museum racing vehicles to car collector David Bowden. By arrangement with Bowden, a selection of Bowden's significant racing cars will rotate through the museum in DJR's workshop.