Australia’s raciest sexagenarian at it again!
The country’s fastest sexagenarian, Jim Richards is in the box seat to add another championship to his incredible list of achievements as he fronts up to Homebush (NSW), this weekend.
Amassing 21 championships, seven Bathurst 1000 victories and 8 Targa Tasmania wins to his credit, 63-year-old motor racing legend Richards shows no signs of slowing.
With just one round remaining, Gentleman Jim has one hand on yet another trophy going into the season finale of the 2010 Touring Car Masters presented by Autobarn, this weekend.
At 63, with his last title win coming seven years ago in the 2003 Australian Carrera Cup Championship, a victory in this year’s Touring Car Masters series would be his first as a sexagenarian.
An incredible sportsman, this series win would also give Richards championship victories across five different decades from the 1970’s to 2010’s.
Only two men stand a chance of wresting the title from Richards, two-time Bathurst 1000 winner, John Bowe and reigning series champ, Gavin Bullas. If Richards’ nearest rival, Bullas scores maximum points with three race wins at Homebush, Richards would need only a seventh place finish in each race to clinch the title.
With the championship set to go down to the wire in Sunday’s race three, all eyes will be on Richards’ Ford Falcon Sprint as the 2010 Touring Car Masters season reaches a thrilling climax on the streets of Sydney.
JIM RICHARDS CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
| No. of wins | Event / Championship | Years |
| 8 | Targa Tasmania | 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006 |
| 7 | Bathurst 1000 | 1978, 1979, 1980, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2002 |
| 4 | Australian Touring Car Championship | 1985, 1987, 1990, 1991 |
| 4 | New Zealand Production Car Championship | |
| 3 | Australian Nations Cup Championship | 2000, 2001, 2002 |
| 3 | B&H Pukekohe 500 | |
| 2 | Australian Endurance Championship | 1985, 1986 |
| 2 | AMSCAR Series | 1985, 1992 |
| 2 | Australian GT Production Car Championship | 1995, 1999 |
| 2 | New Zealand Saloon Car Championship | |
| 1 | Australian NASCAR Championship | 1996 |
| 1 | Australian Carrera Cup Championship | 2003 |
| ?? | Touring Car Masters presented by Autobarn | 2010 |
Richards is also a V8 Supercar Hall of Fame and Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame inductee (2006).
The 2010 Touring Car Masters eighth and final round will be battled out around Sydney Olympic Park on the Homebush Street Circuit on 3-5 December.
Below is the video with Jim’s famous quote after winning the Bathurst 1000 in 1992. – “You’re a pack of arseholes!”
