Just heard on the news that Jason late night lost his battle with a rare and aggresive form of cancer.
I simply cannot think of a nicer bloke ever to make it in top level motor racing. Perhaps I'm biased because I had met him and his is a fellow Kiwi but whatever, 35 is no age.
Came close to winning Bathurst with Murf a couple of yrs ago...
Can't believe how sad I feel.
Jason Richards
Started by
Vicuna
, Dec 16 2011 03:57
12 replies to this topic
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#2
Lee Nicolle
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Posted 16 December 2011 - 04:14
Very sad. He seemed one of the nicer blokes around and proved that he was quick in anything.
Commiserations to his family, friends and team.
Commiserations to his family, friends and team.
#3
wagons46
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Posted 16 December 2011 - 04:48
Knowing 'only the good die young' does not make it any easier for us they leave behind.
#4
ellrosso
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Posted 16 December 2011 - 07:46
Tragic news - wife and two young kids too. Very sad. Top bloke and top driver - RIP Jase.
#5
brucemoxon
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Posted 16 December 2011 - 08:02
Yes, exactly; top bloke and a top driver - how would he have gone in a good team with proper funding?
I saw his first race in Australia, in a rather tired BMW Super Touring car and that marked him as one to watch. I think I saw his last race too, at the Muscle Car Masters in a 1978 Torana - he was fast to the end. His drive from the rear at Bathurst in 2000 or 2001 was epic - top ten finish in a bent car.
I spoke to Paul Stubber at the HSRCA's November meeting. Jason was supposed to drive Paul's Indy Car that weekend but had to cancel as he was too sick. Paul told me Jason weighed less that 50kg at that time.
I counted him as a friend.
He was always smiling. He lived every day of his short life, right to the end.
I'm very, very sad right now.
Bruce Moxon
I saw his first race in Australia, in a rather tired BMW Super Touring car and that marked him as one to watch. I think I saw his last race too, at the Muscle Car Masters in a 1978 Torana - he was fast to the end. His drive from the rear at Bathurst in 2000 or 2001 was epic - top ten finish in a bent car.
I spoke to Paul Stubber at the HSRCA's November meeting. Jason was supposed to drive Paul's Indy Car that weekend but had to cancel as he was too sick. Paul told me Jason weighed less that 50kg at that time.
I counted him as a friend.
He was always smiling. He lived every day of his short life, right to the end.
I'm very, very sad right now.
Bruce Moxon
#6
ensign14
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Posted 16 December 2011 - 08:08
Dammit, I hate threads that just have someone's name, they always make me think the worst. Especially when you have someone like Richards who was known to have cancer...
RIP Jason. This has been a really bad year for untimely deaths.
RIP Jason. This has been a really bad year for untimely deaths.
#7
ellrosso
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Posted 16 December 2011 - 09:50
Couple of pics from the Muscle Car Masters 2011. Jason had the "drive of his life" in the Rothmans Porsche, giving it plenty of stick. Also had a win in the Stubber A9X.
#8
john medley
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Posted 16 December 2011 - 10:46
Old race mechanic and even older Historic driver in the workshop when this dreadful news came on local radio; a fine young man who could drive a bit. We both recalled Jason's calmly saying on TV interview recently " yes, but we have had some bad news recently" Colin just said " Wally ( Storey) is going to miss him"
Vale, fine young man
Vale, fine young man
#9
Wirra
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Posted 16 December 2011 - 12:19
Video of the Porsche drive 2 months ago.
And, at a fundraiser for him.
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related
And, at a fundraiser for him.
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related
Edited by Wirra, 16 December 2011 - 12:26.
#10
Richard Jenkins
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Posted 16 December 2011 - 21:02
Richards was a very fine, if slightly unlucky and underrated driver, but what really impressed me was how he fought the cancer and his outlook on life, even when the news was not good and the prospects slight. If anything it made him even more positive and determined to enjoy life.
35 is no age at all and thoughts with his wife and young family.
35 is no age at all and thoughts with his wife and young family.
#11
GMACKIE
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Posted 16 December 2011 - 22:01
Of the handful of drivers on my 'current list' of talented drivers, Jason Richards was [and still is] at the top. What a pity.
I feel for those close to him......my wife [of 48 years] has been battling lymphoma for nearly two years now.
I feel for those close to him......my wife [of 48 years] has been battling lymphoma for nearly two years now.
#12
Ray Bell
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Posted 17 December 2011 - 11:08
Sad stuff indeed...
I've lost two very close friends to lymphoma in the past decade. Stan had it for 19 years, he was Australia's longest-lived lymphoma patient at the time, Owen Wuillemin had it about nine years. A positive attitude helped both of them to battle it, keep it at bay, in fact it was more complications from early chemo treatments that took Stan out.
I have to admit I never took any notice of Jason Richards. I work every weekend and therefore never go to race meetings or see them on TV, and that's been the case since before he turned up. But I take it from those here that he was a worthy and capable driver who gave his best.
Undoubtedly there will be a great deal of sadness surrounding his loss. It kind of reminds me of when Gunnar Nilsson died.
I've lost two very close friends to lymphoma in the past decade. Stan had it for 19 years, he was Australia's longest-lived lymphoma patient at the time, Owen Wuillemin had it about nine years. A positive attitude helped both of them to battle it, keep it at bay, in fact it was more complications from early chemo treatments that took Stan out.
I have to admit I never took any notice of Jason Richards. I work every weekend and therefore never go to race meetings or see them on TV, and that's been the case since before he turned up. But I take it from those here that he was a worthy and capable driver who gave his best.
Undoubtedly there will be a great deal of sadness surrounding his loss. It kind of reminds me of when Gunnar Nilsson died.
#13
stuartbrs
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Posted 17 December 2011 - 13:37
I rarely watch a V8 round but I did watch Sandown and Richards was there with his famous smile talking about some "bad news"... its shocking how quickly that bad news took his life. Clearly a great talent, and an inspirational human being when the odds were overwhelmingly stacked against him.
Edited by stuartbrs, 17 December 2011 - 13:37.
