Restored DJR Falcons set for reunion after 31 years

Two iconic Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcons will be reunited at the upcoming Canberra Festival of Speed, following a painstaking double restoration.

Canberra Festival of Speed organisers have confirmed the two cars, EB2 and EB3, will be revealed at the event in January.

EB2 and EB3 cars raced together in the hands of John Bowe and Dick Johnson respectively in the 1993 Australian Touring Car Championship.

The 1993 season was the first of the 5.0-litre V8 Group 3A era that later evolved into V8 Supercars. Bowe, also a Canberra Festival of Speed ambassador, won the first round of the 1993 series at Amaroo Park.

1995 champion Bowe will be unveiling the two cars at a special ceremony on Day 1 of the event on Saturday January 25.

Both cars were meticulously restored to original race condition by John Vergotis, and will be seen together for the first time since the 1993 Bathurst 1000.

"I can’t wait to reunite with these two very special treasures from my racing career,” Bowe said.

"Between them, they’re the first V8s I raced in the ATCC and the Bathurst 1000, and I’ve raced plenty since!

“These cars were a joy to drive after all the turbo lag of the Sierras from the years before, and without the aerodynamic downforce of today’s Supercars, they really put the emphasis on the driver to get the best out of them.”

Canberra Festival of Speed Director Martin Tanti added: “The sights and sounds of these iconic DJR vehicles embody the very heart and soul of Australian motorsport.

"Bringing them together for the first time in 31 years is nothing short of extraordinary – a rare and thrilling chance to relive the glory days of racing.

“Such legendary cars are rarely seen in public, which makes their appearance at the Canberra Festival of Speed a truly special moment for fans.

"Their addition to our already stellar Australian motorsport line-up will help us celebrate the evolution of these machines, live on the circuit, in all their roaring glory.”