Bowe to join Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame

Two-time Bathurst 1000 winner John Bowe will be inducted into the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame in March.

The Tasmanian is one of two advance inductees for the March 23 event to be held in Melbourne during the Australian Grand Prix week, alongside ex-Formula 1 star Mark Webber.

Their additions take the tally of inductees to 53, with 18 more to be added in the third annual ceremony.

Following a successful open-wheel career, Bowe spent more than three decades in the Australian Touring Car Championship and Supercars after making his debut in a Volvo in 1985.

He became synonymous with Dick Johnson Racing and its Shell Fords during an 11-year stint that included Bathurst wins alongside Johnson in 1989 and '94, and the ATCC title in ’95.

Bowe left DJR in 1999 and after a short spell with PAE and Briggs Motorsport joined Brad Jones Racing for five seasons from 2002 before retiring with Paul Cruickshank Racing at the end of '07.

The 63-year-old has since won the Bathurst 12 Hour twice, the Touring Car Masters title five times - finishing second this year to Steven Johnson - and was inducted to the Supercars Hall of Fame in 2009.

“To be honest, I am slightly overwhelmed,” said Bowe.

“When you are 35, awards mean nothing, but to be recognised by the industry and your peers at this stage of my career is really very humbling.

“It has certainly been a great journey since I started racing a Formula Vee at Baskerville in Tasmania at the age of 15.

“I was proud to be included in the Supercars Hall of Fame, but to be recognised alongside the greatest this country has produced across all facets of the sport in the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame is something else.

“I have turned plenty of laps since those Baskerville days, but I still have a desire to be out there racing and being as competitive as possible.

“I am honoured to be included in this year’s list of inductees along with Mark Webber and I look forward to seeing the remaining 18 recipients awarded on the night, which really has become one of the highlights on the Australian motorsport calendar."

Bowe held off a challenge from rookie Craig Lowndes to win at Bathurst in 1994. Pic: AN1 Media

Bowe will join fellow ATCC and Supercars legends Johnson, Peter Brock, Allan Moffat, Bob Jane, Mark Skaife, Jim Richards and Larry Perkins as Hall of Fame inductees.

“John Bowe has been one of the real achievers in Australian motorsport and his passion is obvious when you consider that he is still racing and winning on race tracks around the country,” Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame presented by Speedcafe.com chairman Garry Connelly said.

“Not only has JB always been fast, but his ability to adapt to such a vast array of machinery has been one of his great skills.

“A terrific professional, John was an obvious choice for this year’s list of inductees alongside Mark Webber.”