“I don’t think anyone has ever had a career like mine or ever likely to have one either.”
It’s a bold claim but one that can be backed up by motorsport legend Dick Johnson as he prepares for his team’s 900th race at the Ipswich SuperSprint on Saturday.
The 74-year-old admits the success of Dick Johnson Racing started “by accident” following his infamous crash at the 1980 Bathurst 1000.
The team was swimming in debt in their debut season that year, but Johnson was leading Bathurst before crashing into a football-sized rock that ended his race and was set to cripple DJR financially.
But the accident drew sympathy from motorsport fans around Australia and donations came flooding in to the tune of $72,000 – the equivalent of $313,000 today.
Ford then matched the donations dollar for dollar and Johnson returned to win the championship the following year with what he regards as his greatest triumph, a final-day victory over Peter Brock.
Johnson went on to win five championships and claim three Bathurst 1000 titles.
He was voted into the V8 Supercars Hall of Fame after ending his legendary driving career in 1999.
Johnson reflected on the highs and lows of the journey of his team – now called DJR Team Penske after Roger Penske bought 51 per cent in 2014 – as his current driver Scott McLaughin looks to extend his lead in the drivers’ standings at Queensland Raceway this weekend.
“Like any opportunity, if you get an opportunity you’ve got to make the most of it because at the time it felt like the worst thing that was ever going to happen,” he said, revisiting the rock incident.
“But as it turned out, it was the best and we just sort of picked it up and ran with it.
“We’ve had times when it’s been difficult both mentally and financially but you’ve just got to work through these things and the right people seem to turn up at the right time.
“It’s great to be in a position where we’re winning races. After all these ups and downs we’ve had over the years and now to be running at the front is a real bonus.
“Unless you’ve had the lows, you don’t know what the highs are, do you?”
Johnson backed himself to see a 1000th race and praised the current pit lane team as the best he’s worked with throughout his illustrious career.
“Without a doubt we have the best team in pit lane at the moment,” he said.
“There’s not anyone who wouldn’t aspire to being in the same pit as Roger Penske, who internationally is seen as one of the best team owners in the world.”
