The career ups and downs of one of Australian car racings greatest drivers Dick Johnson

Dick Johnson is an Australian motor racing legend, but his career was almost tragically cut short by a rock before he had achieved very much on the track at all. He was leading Australia’s most famous touring car race in Bathurst in 1980. Then his Ford Falcon hit a football-sized rock after just 17 of the 163 laps. It had fallen onto the track after being dislodged by a drunken spectator.

Johnson’s Falcon came off second best against the rock, forcing him out of the great race. He was gutted, having invested his life savings into his car and racing career. A potential first-time victory in Australia’s greatest motor race had been cruelly snatched from his grasp.

Financial ruin (and some unexpected help)

Johnson was very emotional as he was interviewed immediately afterwards during the TV race coverage. He was 35 at the time and a self-described ‘nobody and battler’. He didn’t know whether he’d be able to financially recover and chase his motor racing dreams.

He had already retired once a year earlier when his long-time sponsor and supporter (Bryan Byrt) died. Johnson and his wife briefly ran a service station before Dick turned to her and said: “We have a good business in the servo, I can spend a lot of time and effort here and we’ll have a good living, but I’ll be the most miserable prick you’ve ever met. Or we can mortgage the house and go racing and I’ll be the happiest guy in the world.”

Johnson ended up mortgaging his house soon afterwards to relaunch his racing career. He was heavily in debt when he hit the rock at Bathurst in 1980.

His raw emotion during the TV coverage interview with him immediately after he hit the rock immediately touched a nerve with the Australian public. The switchboards at Channel 7 lit up. People voluntarily started donating money almost straight away to help Dick get both his car and his racing career back on track. All up, they donated $78,000. It was a huge amount of money at the time. Ford matched the public donations dollar for dollar, giving Johnson and his team $156,000 to rebuild his car and racing career.

Repaying the faith

There was enormous pressure on Johnson when he returned to Bathurst in 1981. Anything short of a victory would have seemed like a failure after the events of the year before and the subsequent generosity of the Australian public.

“Being the sort of person I am, I felt as though I had to give everyone back as much as they’d given me,” he said at the time. “And the only way I could do that was to go out and win Bathurst, and win the championship.”

Dick not only won the famous Bathurst race for the first time in 1981, but he also won the first of the five Australian Touring Car Championships that he was to win during the 1980s.

Johnson won the Bathurst race twice more before retiring from driving in 1995 as a genuine and beloved Australian motor racing legend. Dick Johnson Racing continues on to this day with Dick in charge.

Do you want to boost your weight loss? Try The Healthy Man Meal Replacement!

This the perfect low-calorie meal replacement for busy blokes wanting to boost weight loss and improve overall health. It’s full of whey and soy protein which means it’ll leave you feeling full and satisfied and keep you going till your next meal.

If you want to shift some kilo’s, look no further than The Healthy Man’s Meal Replacement!

The Healthy Man Meal Replacement will:-

• Enhance fat-burning ability
• Improve gut health
• Reduce beer belly
• Increase stamina
• Increase muscle strength
• Increase energy, vitality and overall health

Get your tub of the Healthy Man Meal Replacement here