Jim Richards

Jim Richards was born in Otahuhu, New Zealand on the 2nd of September, 1947. He first came to notice as Peter Brock's Bathurst co-driver sharing in a hat trick of victories from 1978-80. He left in 1982 to drive for the JPS BMW team and won the Australian Touring Car Championship with BMW. With the disabandment of the JPS team in 1987 he joined Peter Brock's BMW outfit for one year before leaving for Fred Gibson's Nissan team in 1989 and developing the awesome Group A Nissan GT-R. After controversially crashing the Nissan in 1992 and still winning because the red flag was shown, the normally 'Gentleman Jim' greeted the jeering crowd with this speech:
"I thought Australian race fans had a lot more going for them than this, this is going to remain with me for a long time. You're a pack of arseholes!"

Bathurst Starts:

  • 1974 - Holden Torana L34 with Rod Coppins (3rd)
  • 1975 - Holden Torana L34 with Rod Coppins (8th)
  • 1976 - Ford Falcon XB GT with John Goss (31st)
  • 1977 - Ford Falcon XB GT with Rod Coppins (engine, lap 53)
  • 1978 - Marlboro HDT Holden Torana A9X with Peter Brock (1st)
  • 1979 - Marlboro HDT Holden Torana A9X with Peter Brock (1st)
  • 1980 - Marlboro HDT Holden Commodore VC with Peter Brock (1st)
  • 1981 - Marlboro HDT Holden Commodore VC with Peter Brock (21st)
  • 1982 - JPS BMW 635 CSi with David Hobbs (5th)
  • 1983 - JPS BMW 635 CSi with Frank Gardner (fuel system, lap 6)
  • 1984 - JPS BMW 635 CSi with Tony Longhurst (engine, lap 39)
  • 1985 - JPS BMW 635 CSi with Tony Longhurst (4th)
  • 1986 - JPS BMW 635 CSi with Tony Longhurst (6th)
  • 1987 - JPS BMW M3 with Tony Longhurst (4th)
  • 1988 - Mobil BMW M3 with David Parsons (overheating, lap 68)
  • 1989 - Nissan Skyline HR31 with Mark Skaife (3rd)
  • 1990 - Nissan GT-R with Mark Skaife
  • 1991 - Nissan GT-R with Mark Skaife (1st)
  • 1992 - Winfield Nissan GT-R with Mark Skaife (1st)
  • 1993 - Winfield Holden Commodore VP with Mark Skaife (2nd)
  • 1994 - Winfield Holden Commodore VP with Mark Skaife (accident, lap 39)
  • 1995 - Winfield Holden Commodore VR with Mark Skaife (tailshaft, lap 65)
  • 1996 - Valvoline Cummins Holden Commodore VR with Steven Richards (accident, lap 33)