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V8 Supercars
V8: Jason Richards Dies Of Cancer At 35
After a brave 14-month battle against cancer, veteran V8 Supercars driver Jason Richards died in his sleep Thursday night.
Richards and his wife, Charlotte, share an emotional hug after the Kiwi rocked the non-championship Albert Park round in April. (Mark Horsburgh/V8 Supercars)
35-year-old V8 Supercar driver Jason Richards succumbed to cancer Thursday night after more than a year of fighting against the disease.
A veteran of 285 V8 starts with 11 podiums, one pole and one win, Richards was beloved for his endearing personality, prodigious talent and dogged determination.
Richards died at home with his wife Charlotte and children at his side, and in bidding farewell to his friend, SPEED's Leigh Diffey said Richards approached cancer the same way he approached his career as a V8 driver.
"Jason fought cancer just as hard as he fought on the race track," he said. "He made his name early on doing such incredible things with smaller teams and refused to give up. Fans rooted for him because he was often the underdog who took the fight to the big teams. We'll miss him incredibly, and our thoughts turn to his wife and two kids."
Richards, a native of New Zealand, came to prominence a decade ago driving for under-funded teams and began to realize his potential after joining fellow Kiwi and V8 legend Greg Murphy at Tasman Motorsport.
He'd finally get the call to drive for the respected and established Brad Jones Racing outfit in 2009, finishing 14th in the standings.
Richards' ascension at BJR would be cut short towards the end of the 2010 championship when adrenocortical carcinoma was detected.
With Richards taking a leave of absence while he sought treatment, BJR drafted in Jason Bargwanna to take his place, but in a surprise last April at the Albert Park V8 round, Richards not only returned to his ride, but nearly won.
“For some reason, I seem to be performing better with cancer in me!” he said at the time. “I’ve got a massive battle on my hands. My cancer is not getting any better. I’m off chemotherapy, so shortly I’ll have my hair back. I’m on a break from treatment, I’ve just gone on a new trial drug on Monday from Sydney. I’m just praying like hell that I’ve got the actual active drug. Chemo definitely knocks you around. I still managed to do some test days after the chemo to keep myself active. I think that’s a big part of this treatment and that’s the mental part, and that’s what I’m doing this weekend.”
The BJR team was understandably distraught to learn of Richards' passing.
"In the competitive world of V8 Supercars Jason was a rare breed – a driver that could tread the fine line between rivalry and friendship," said Jones. "He was never secretive, selfish or bad-tempered and had endless enthusiasm and energy for his job and team. The history books will not do him justice. Given the right equipment JR was easily a front-runner but chose team loyalty over personal gain, determined to work with his crew to reach the front of the grid together. Through the highs and lows of racing, JR’s uplifting presence and casual, self-effacing wit were unwavering and his effect he had on team morale is irreplaceable. He will forever be a member of the Jones family and this is a tragic day in the team’s history."
A memorial site has been established by the team where fans can leave messages and remembrances.
For those who are unfamiliar with Richards, the sticker shown on the back of his helmet on the memorial site is a perfect indicator of his fighting spirit.
A memorial service will be held to celebrate Richards' life in the coming weeks at the Sandown circuit.
PHOTOS: Click Here or on the image below to view V8: Jason Richards 1976-2011
Marshall Pruett is SPEED.com's Auto Racing Editor, covering IndyCar and sports cars. He also contributes to Road & Track and Racecar Engineering. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
A veteran of 285 V8 starts with 11 podiums, one pole and one win, Richards was beloved for his endearing personality, prodigious talent and dogged determination.
Richards died at home with his wife Charlotte and children at his side, and in bidding farewell to his friend, SPEED's Leigh Diffey said Richards approached cancer the same way he approached his career as a V8 driver.
"Jason fought cancer just as hard as he fought on the race track," he said. "He made his name early on doing such incredible things with smaller teams and refused to give up. Fans rooted for him because he was often the underdog who took the fight to the big teams. We'll miss him incredibly, and our thoughts turn to his wife and two kids."
Richards, a native of New Zealand, came to prominence a decade ago driving for under-funded teams and began to realize his potential after joining fellow Kiwi and V8 legend Greg Murphy at Tasman Motorsport.
He'd finally get the call to drive for the respected and established Brad Jones Racing outfit in 2009, finishing 14th in the standings.
Richards' ascension at BJR would be cut short towards the end of the 2010 championship when adrenocortical carcinoma was detected.
With Richards taking a leave of absence while he sought treatment, BJR drafted in Jason Bargwanna to take his place, but in a surprise last April at the Albert Park V8 round, Richards not only returned to his ride, but nearly won.
“For some reason, I seem to be performing better with cancer in me!” he said at the time. “I’ve got a massive battle on my hands. My cancer is not getting any better. I’m off chemotherapy, so shortly I’ll have my hair back. I’m on a break from treatment, I’ve just gone on a new trial drug on Monday from Sydney. I’m just praying like hell that I’ve got the actual active drug. Chemo definitely knocks you around. I still managed to do some test days after the chemo to keep myself active. I think that’s a big part of this treatment and that’s the mental part, and that’s what I’m doing this weekend.”
The BJR team was understandably distraught to learn of Richards' passing.
"In the competitive world of V8 Supercars Jason was a rare breed – a driver that could tread the fine line between rivalry and friendship," said Jones. "He was never secretive, selfish or bad-tempered and had endless enthusiasm and energy for his job and team. The history books will not do him justice. Given the right equipment JR was easily a front-runner but chose team loyalty over personal gain, determined to work with his crew to reach the front of the grid together. Through the highs and lows of racing, JR’s uplifting presence and casual, self-effacing wit were unwavering and his effect he had on team morale is irreplaceable. He will forever be a member of the Jones family and this is a tragic day in the team’s history."
A memorial site has been established by the team where fans can leave messages and remembrances.
For those who are unfamiliar with Richards, the sticker shown on the back of his helmet on the memorial site is a perfect indicator of his fighting spirit.
A memorial service will be held to celebrate Richards' life in the coming weeks at the Sandown circuit.
PHOTOS: Click Here or on the image below to view V8: Jason Richards 1976-2011
Marshall Pruett is SPEED.com's Auto Racing Editor, covering IndyCar and sports cars. He also contributes to Road & Track and Racecar Engineering. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
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