Dick would have to be the hardest worker in Australian motor sport history. For a privateer starting with nothing, unlike the others, that speaks volumes! Thanks for sharing!
One of Australia's (and beyond) most talented drivers and a legend of the sport. Yes he came to the attention of the general public in 1980. But those who followed the sport were already aware that he was a great driver...who could get the most out of whatever he drove...and knew he would have made his mark even if he'd never hit that dreaded rock. To have put a virtually garage-built car on the front row at Bathurst and be leading the race up to that moment epitomizes this. And the way he was able to have a full conversation with the commentary team (and even tell jokes!) while driving at 10/10ths reinforces his skill behind the wheel. A true Aussie icon.
Dick, my aunty from Redcliffe, supported you, and I fell in line as a Ford girl. We were watching you on the tv.. you were way out in front in you Tru Blu XE ... that that fateful rock. We were both devasted. Since then you have climbed back, after each fall. You ARE a legend. Many thanks for allowing us in to your world. ❤❤❤
What a excellent video brings back many memories of me and my father in Darwin back in the late 80s watching Bathurst on his workshop TV my father being a holden man and saying dick was a bad sportsman he died in 2001 and I seen the light as a panel beater and followed the ford flag interesting to see that dick Johnston started out racing holdens and was far from a bad sport. I believe this video should be shown in history classrooms in every Australian school.. how Aussie is the big XE falcon what a awesome sound that big v8 put out what a true legend dick Johnston is
I've been a Ford fan since i was 8 years old with Dick Johnson, got to meet him and Peter Brock, Wayne Gardner and Glen Seaton at the last F1 event in Adelaide 1995..
Dick Johnson is a TRUE Aussie LEGEND!!!!! Regardless of who you support, DJs first Falcon ( ie not provided by someone else ) was bought Johnson Family money having morgaged the family home, Dick and his brother built the car in his OWN garage with his own hands!!!!!!!!!!! This COMMANDS RESPECT from me!!!!!!!!!!!! Peter Brock is good also, Larry Perkins also plus others, LP was co driver in the Mustang 1985, the XD Falcon True Blue/Greens Tuff AWESOME looking sounding car AWESOME!!!! DJ always had away with words!! 🤣😅🤣
Thank you very much for sharing this video about one of Australia's great racing drivers, & in my opinion the equivalent to the late Peter Brock when it came to the mighty Blue Oval. I had the pleasure of meeting Dick & John Bowe at Lake Side in an unbelievable one on one talk by my self as they were walking from behind his display just prior to the start of the race, that was the year of the pile up & subsequent fire which destroyed a few of the cars. He truly is a fair dinkum down to earth Aussie & a real true blue bloke. I have been a fan of his starting back when he ran his Blue XC Coupe in the late 70's & naturally also a member of his fan club. Prior to that I was a fan of another great Aussie/Canadian icon who flew the Blue Oval with pride, Allen Moffat starting back in 1970 when he first won Bathurst in the phase 1 XW GTHO which ran the 351 Windsor right up until he switched to Mazda in 1981. Anyway, I'm showing my age but once again thank's Mate for a video I will be saving. ;-)
When I was a kid, I loved watching this guy. He was great at driving and also talking to the commentators on the radio. Epic. Thanks for the memories Mr Johnson
Australian's , Who follow Australian Motorsports,know Your a True Blue Oz legend ,I've been A Holden man my entire life, .......But Ford & Holden that's what Bathurst is ........we may be red or blue ,but we'll all are Fans of the greatest show on earth....at the Mountain.........God bless you Dick ........I stop watching motorsport when we lost my hero ,....05 Peter Brock ....like the day the Music died ........but I thank you Dick for those memories you gave us all........
Would never had been the same without DJ..and the big blue and green falcon..would have been interesting if he had factory sponser.. great memories him and Brock... Glad you got out of those 2 really bad crashes....
A wonderful and well put together tribute. Thank you so much. I really enjoyed it. I did struggle to hear all the dialogue over your backing music.. just sayin.. but it's really great
Definitely a special breed of man who could build the car and race it to victory against factory teams , championship, Bathurst then wipe the floor with the Europeans hes done it all , 1 of a kind !
1:23:50 In reference to the DJR workshop. I first met Dick when I was a kid, at Lakeside when he was driving the Blue Two-doors in around 76/77 (maybe 78). In those days the pits were on the inside and teams would lay tarps on the ground and then throw up a marquee to have some shade when working on the car between races. I'd go infield and hang around the Johnson camp like a fruitfly on an orange. We've come a long way in motorsport.
People stopped watching racing in 1992 not because the Nissan GTR was winning everything, it’s because they were Nissans. From 1988 to 1990 the Ford Sierra’s we’re dominating. And no one complained. Nissan started proving that Ford and Holden, the V8’s in particular were going the way of the dinosaurs. And you couldn’t have that. So they banned them along with all turbo engines.
The rock incident was not on purpose it was a accident just a couple lads having a rest when they accidentally rested against the rock and it dislodged and rolled down the hill definitely not on purpose but the good thing is Dick knows it wasn't on purpose.
Had to give up listening to this otherwise good documentary (after 15 minutes ) because of the damn annoying loud crappy bloody music. Trying to listen to the commentary with music is just bloody amateurish!👎👎👎
