Legends behind the wheel for Bathurst

An audacious plan to reunite Bathurst legends Dick Johnson and John Bowe in a ‘Wildcard’ Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 entry was announced today.

Twenty years after Johnson and long time teammate Bowe took the chequered flag in the Shell Falcon EB at Bathurst, the race will see the pair suit up for one more time.

The plan was hatched early in 2014, and has come to fruition only in the last week.

“When V8 Supercars announced that a number of Wildcard entries would be accepted for 2014, I thought of how DJR could take advantage of it and field a third car,” Johnson said. 

“First off I thought of bringing on some of the young guys we are keeping an eye on, but watching JB punt that Mustang Sally around showed me he had lost none of his talent and was driving really well.

“So I said to him at Clipsal, mate I want you to drive the Wildcard entry and continue working with these young guys.

“He thought I had gone nuts, but he called me the following week and said – ‘Dick if I drive you are going to drive with me!’ I thought he was kidding me but he was fair dinkum. So we put our heads together, spoke to our key people and partners and thought; why not? I had a fair old time convincing Jillie (wife) but we are full steam ahead.”

Bowe can’t wait to jump in the car with Johnson. 

“Who’d ever thought we’d have an opportunity to get the band back together!” Bowe said.

“My time at DJR was my best, I reckon. Bathurst is such an awesome track, so with Dick, DJR, Wilson Security and in the 17 car … it doesn’t get any better for a fella than that, does it?”

To get some race seat time given V8 Supercars’ strict testing regime, Johnson will most likely take over the seat of Bowe’s Mustang Sally at a number of TCM meetings leading up to the famous race.

The Wilson Security Racing Team now aims to field three FG Falcons and not surprisingly a number change will occur to allow Johnson and Bowe to run the iconic #17. It will be the first time since 1999 that Dick and son Steven will both drive in the famous Bathurst 1000, albeit this time in different cars.

The Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 unfolds at Mount Panorama from October 9 to 12.