# Jason Richards

Jason John Richards (10 April 1976 – 15 December 2011) was a New Zealand motor racing driver. A multiple championship winning driver in his homeland in the New Zealand Touring Car Championship, he moved to Australia to pursue a career in the Australian-based V8 Supercar Championship Series. Richards career highlights include finishing second three times in V8 Supercar's most famous race, the Bathurst 1000. Richards died at the age of 35, just over a year after being diagnosed with cancer.

## Early career

Richards started his motor racing career at the age of eight in 1985, driving in karting events in his home country of New Zealand. He made his move out of karting in 1993 after 35 championship titles, entering the Mini 7s.
After much success again, Richards was offered the Canterbury Racing School Formula Ford drive for the Nissan Mobil 500 meetings at Wellington and Pukekohe.
After a short stint in the English Formula Ford Championship, Richards returned to New Zealand to sign with BMW Motorsport NZ as junior driver, winning the 1995/96 Class 1 Touring Car Championships for the team, along with nine out of 12 series races.

## V8 Supercar
### Team Kiwi Racing

Promoted to lead driver, Richards won the next three NZ Touring Car Championships prior to joining Team Kiwi for the V8 Supercar series in Australia in 2001. Battling testing restrictions and the tyranny of distance, Richards finished an extremely creditable 19th in the 2002 V8 Supercar Series.

### Team Dynamik

Richards moved to the new South Australian Team Dynamik in 2003, putting in some strong results, including a narrow failure to snatch victory in the Sandown 500 from Mark Skaife in the race's dying stages.

### Tasman Motorsport

He then made the decision to move to the newly formed Tasman Motorsport outfit in 2004 and has developed into a driver who believes he is capable of standing on the top step of a V8 Supercar podium.
Coming back from a major rollover in the 2005 round at Queensland Raceway, Richards quickly returned to stride and promptly placed the repaired Commodore into the top 10 in the following round at Oran Park Raceway.
His podium results in the Sandown and Bathurst endurance events in 2005 helped cement his place as a 'coming man' of the V8 Supercar category. In the 2005 Supercheap Auto 1000, Richards produced a strong performance and came very close to winning the race.
In the following year, Richards won the second of three races at the Winton Motor Raceway, hence gaining his first (and only) V8 Supercars race victory. He finished the season in 18th position.
At the 2007 Bathurst 1000 Richards and Murphy were the best placed Holden team, finishing fourth overall. Surfers Paradise was his best round in 2007 where he finished third overall, and finished 14th in the Championship, with 235 points 15 points behind teammate Greg Murphy.

### Brad Jones Racing

Richards joined Brad Jones Racing VE Commodore in 2009, driving the #8 car. (who ran a new race number for the team in V8 Supercars but was the racing number of team co-principal Brad Jones during the team's years racing in AUSCAR and NASCAR at the Calder Park Thunderdome) Richards secured his first V8 Supercar pole position at Hidden Valley Raceway in 2009. Richards finished third at the 2010 L&H 500 with Andrew Jones.

## Illness and death

In November 2010 it was revealed that Richards was admitted to hospital on 16 November and was later diagnosed with an adrenocortical carcinoma. Richards immediately stepped away from racing to devote his energies to fighting the illness with Andrew Jones substituting for the balance of the 2010 season. He continued to race sporadically with guest appearances in the second-tier V8 Supercar series, Australian GT Championship, Touring Car Masters and continued testing with Brad Jones Racing into the second half of 2011. He died on 15 December 2011 at his home.
In 2012 an illustrated documentary of his life was released.

## Career results

| Season | Series | Position | Car | Team |
| 1996/97 | New Zealand Touring Car Championship | 4th | BMW 325i | International Motorsport |
| 1997 | Australian Super Touring Championship | 16th | BMW 318i | CPW Motorsport |
| 1997/98 | New Zealand Touring Car Championship | 2nd | BMW 320i | International Motorsport |
| 1998/99 | New Zealand Touring Car Championship | 1st | BMW 320i | International Motorsport |
| 1999/2000 | New Zealand Touring Car Championship | 1st | BMW 320i | International Motorsport |
| 2000 | Shell Championship Series | 52nd | Holden VT Commodore | Team Kiwi Racing |
| 2000/01 | New Zealand Touring Car Championship | 1st | Nissan Primera | Team Kiwi Racing |
| 2001 | Shell Championship Series | 24th | Holden VX Commodore | Team Kiwi Racing |
| 2002 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 19th | Holden VX Commodore | Team Kiwi Racing |
| 2003 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 26th | Holden VY Commodore | Team Dynamik |
| 2004 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 14th | Holden VX Commodore Holden VY Commodore | Tasman Motorsport |
| 2005 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 17th | Holden VZ Commodore | Tasman Motorsport |
| 2006 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 18th | Holden VZ Commodore | Tasman Motorsport |
| 2007 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 14th | Holden VE Commodore | Tasman Motorsport |
| 2008 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 17th | Holden VE Commodore | Tasman Motorsport |
| 2009 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 14th | Holden VE Commodore | Brad Jones Racing |
| 2010 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 17th | Holden VE Commodore | Brad Jones Racing |
| 2011 | Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series | 29th | Holden VE Commodore | Greg Murphy Racing |
| 2011 | Australian GT Championship | 23rd | Ferrari 430 GT3 | Maranello Motorsport |

### Supercars Championship results

(Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Supercars results :
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | Position | Points |
| 2000 | Team Kiwi Racing | Holden VT Commodore | PHI R1 | PHI R2 | BAR R3 | BAR R4 | BAR R5 | ADE R6 | ADE R7 | EAS R8 | EAS R9 | EAS R10 | HDV R11 | HDV R12 | HDV R13 | CAN R14 | CAN R15 | CAN R16 | QLD R17 | QLD R18 | QLD R19 | WIN R20 | WIN R21 | WIN R22 | ORA R23 | ORA R24 | ORA R25 | CAL R26 | CAL R27 | CAL R28 | QLD R29 | SAN R30 | SAN R31 | SAN R32 | BAT R33 16 | | | | | | 51st | 48 |
| 2001 | Team Kiwi Racing | Holden VX Commodore | PHI R1 | PHI R2 | ADE R3 | ADE R4 | EAS R5 | EAS R6 | HDV R7 | HDV R8 | HDV R9 | CAN R10 | CAN R11 | CAN R12 | BAR R13 | BAR R14 | BAR R15 | CAL R16 | CAL R17 | CAL R18 | ORA R19 | ORA R20 | QLD R21 | WIN R22 | WIN R23 | BAT R24 | PUK R25 | PUK R26 | PUK R27 | SAN R28 | SAN R29 | SAN R30 | | | | | | | | | 24th | 1146 |
| 2002 | Team Kiwi Racing | Holden VX Commodore | ADE R1 | ADE R2 | PHI R3 | PHI R4 | EAS R5 | EAS R6 | EAS R7 | HDV R8 | HDV R9 | HDV R10 | CAN R11 | CAN R12 | CAN R13 | BAR R14 | BAR R15 | BAR R16 | ORA R17 | ORA R18 | WIN R19 | WIN R20 | QLD R21 | BAT R22 | SUR R23 | SUR R24 | PUK R25 | PUK R26 | PUK R27 | SAN R28 | SAN R29 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2003 | Team Dynamik | Holden VY Commodore | ADE R1 | ADE R1 | PHI R3 | EAS R4 | WIN R5 | BAR R6 | BAR R7 | BAR R8 | HDV R9 | HDV R10 | HDV R11 | QLD R12 | ORA R13 | SAN R14 | BAT R15 | SUR R16 | SUR R17 | PUK R18 | PUK R19 | PUK R20 | EAS R21 | EAS R22 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2004 | Tasman Motorsport | Holden VY Commodore | ADE R1 | ADE R2 | EAS R3 | PUK R4 | PUK R5 | PUK R6 | HDV R7 | HDV R8 | HDV R9 | BAR R10 | BAR R11 | BAR R12 | QLD R13 | WIN R14 | ORA R15 | ORA R16 | SAN R17 | BAT R18 | SUR R19 | SUR R20 | SYM R21 | SYM R22 | SYM R23 | EAS R24 | EAS R25 | EAS R26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2005 | Tasman Motorsport | Holden VZ Commodore | ADE R1 | ADE R2 | PUK R3 | PUK R4 | PUK R5 | BAR R6 | BAR R7 | BAR R8 | EAS R9 | EAS R10 | SHA R11 | SHA R12 | SHA R13 | HDV R14 | HDV R15 | HDV R16 | QLD R17 | ORA R18 | ORA R19 | SAN R20 | BAT R21 | SUR R22 | SUR R23 | SUR R24 | SYM R25 | SYM R26 | SYM R27 | PHI R28 | PHI R29 | PHI R30 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2006 | Tasman Motorsport | Holden VZ Commodore | ADE R1 | ADE R2 | PUK R3 | PUK R4 | PUK R5 | BAR R6 | BAR R7 | BAR R8 | WIN R9 | WIN R10 | WIN R11 | HDV R12 | HDV R13 | HDV R14 | QLD R15 | QLD R16 | QLD R17 | ORA R18 | ORA R19 | ORA R20 | SAN R21 | BAT R22 | SUR R23 | SUR R24 | SUR R25 | SYM R26 | SYM R27 | SYM R28 | BHR R29 | BHR R30 | BHR R31 | PHI R32 | PHI R33 | PHI R34 | | | | | | |
| 2007 | Tasman Motorsport | Holden VE Commodore | ADE R1 | ADE R2 | BAR R3 | BAR R4 | BAR R5 | PUK R6 | PUK R7 | PUK R8 | WIN R9 | WIN R10 | WIN R11 | EAS R12 | EAS R13 | EAS R14 | HDV R15 | HDV R16 | HDV R17 | QLD R18 | QLD R19 | QLD R20 | ORA R21 | ORA R22 | ORA R23 | SAN R24 | BAT R25 | SUR R26 | SUR R27 | SUR R28 | BHR R29 | BHR R30 | BHR R31 | SYM R32 | SYM R33 | SYM R34 | PHI R35 | PHI R36 | PHI R37 | | | |
| 2008 | Tasman Motorsport | Holden VE Commodore | ADE R1 | ADE R2 | EAS R3 | EAS R4 | EAS R5 | HAM R6 | HAM R7 | HAM R8 | BAR R9 | BAR R10 | BAR R11 | SAN R12 | SAN R13 | SAN R14 | HDV R15 | HDV R16 | HDV R17 | QLD R18 | QLD R19 | QLD R20 | WIN R21 | WIN R22 | WIN R23 | PHI Q | PHI R24 | BAT R25 | SUR R26 | SUR R27 | SUR R28 | BHR R29 | BHR R30 | BHR R31 | SYM R32 | SYM R33 | SYM R34 | ORA R35 | ORA R36 | ORA R37 | | |
| 2009 | Brad Jones Racing | Holden VE Commodore | ADE R1 | ADE R2 | HAM R3 | HAM R4 | WIN R5 | WIN R6 | SYM R7 | SYM R8 | HDV R9 | HDV R10 | TOW R11 | TOW R12 | SAN R13 | SAN R14 | QLD R15 | QLD R16 | PHI Q | PHI R17 | BAT R18 | SUR R19 | SUR R20 | SUR R21 | SUR R22 | PHI R23 | PHI R24 | BAR R25 | BAR R26 | SYD R27 | SYD R28 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2010 | Brad Jones Racing | Holden VE Commodore | YMC R1 | YMC R2 | BHR R3 | BHR R4 | ADE R5 | ADE R6 | HAM R7 | HAM R8 | QLD R9 | QLD R10 | WIN R11 | WIN R12 | HDV R13 | HDV R14 | TOW R15 | TOW R16 | PHI R17 | BAT R18 | SUR R19 | SUR R20 | SYM R21 | SYM R22 | SAN R23 | SAN R24 | SYD R25 | SYD R26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Complete Bathurst 1000 results

| Year | Team | Car | Co-driver | Position | Laps |
| 1997* | CPW Motorsport | BMW 318i | Brett Riley | DNF | 125 |
| 1998* | International Motorsport | BMW 320i | Barrie Thomlinson | DNF | 128 |
| 2000 | Team Kiwi Racing | Holden VT Commodore | Angus Fogg | 16th | 157 |
| 2001 | Team Kiwi Racing | Holden VT Commodore | Angus Fogg | 16th | 157 |
| 2002 | Team Kiwi Racing | Holden VX Commodore | Simon Wills | 11th | 160 |
| 2003 | Team Dynamik | Holden VY Commodore | Simon Wills | 22nd | 139 |
| 2004 | Tasman Motorsport | Holden VY Commodore | Fabian Coulthard | 20th | 152 |
| 2005 | Tasman Motorsport | Holden VZ Commodore | Jamie Whincup | 2nd | 161 |
| 2006 | Tasman Motorsport | Holden VZ Commodore | Andrew Jones | DNF | 151 |
| 2007 | Tasman Motorsport | Holden VE Commodore | Greg Murphy | 4th | 161 |
| 2008 | Tasman Motorsport | Holden VE Commodore | Greg Murphy | 2nd | 161 |
| 2009 | Brad Jones Racing | Holden VE Commodore | Cameron McConville | 2nd | 161 |
| 2010 | Brad Jones Racing | Holden VE Commodore | Andrew Jones | 23rd | 157 |
* Super Touring race

## Legacy
### Jason Richards Memorial Trophy

Since 2013, the driver who scores the most points across all races during the weekend of the New Zealand round of the V8 Supercars championship has received the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy. The trophy was introduced when the series returned to Pukekohe in 2013, replacing the Mark Porter Memorial Trophy presented at the Hamilton 400.
Jason Bright and Brad Jones Racing, Richards' last teammate and team respectively, were the first winners of the trophy. In 2015 and 2017, Jamie Whincup, who was a teammate of Richards in 2005 at Tasman Motorsport and co-drove with him to a second-place finish at the 2005 Bathurst 1000, won the trophy.

#### Winners

| Year | Driver | Team | Car | Venue |
| 2013 | Jason Bright | Brad Jones Racing | Holden VF Commodore | Pukekohe |
| 2014 | Mark Winterbottom | Ford Performance Racing | Ford FG Falcon | Pukekohe |
| 2015 | Jamie Whincup | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden VF Commodore | Pukekohe |
| 2016 | Shane van Gisbergen | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden VF Commodore | Pukekohe |
| 2017 | Jamie Whincup | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden VF Commodore | Pukekohe |
| 2018 | Scott McLaughlin | DJR Team Penske | Ford FG X Falcon | Pukekohe |
| 2019 | Shane van Gisbergen | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden ZB Commodore | Pukekohe |
| 2022 | Shane van Gisbergen | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden ZB Commodore | Pukekohe |