Forty-five years since his maiden Great Race triumph, 81-year-old Dick Johnson and his wife Jill watched in disbelief as Brodie Kostecki swept to the lead on the final lap of a thrilling contest at Mount Panorama.
DJR’s glory came amid utter devastation for Charlie Schwerkolt’s Team 18, as its Anton De Pasquale-driven Chevrolet Camaro dramatically ran out of fuel on Mountain Straight with victory in sight.
Schwerkolt was previously a co-owner of DJR for three seasons before a bitter split in 2010 resulted in the forklift magnate departing with the squad’s famous #18 franchise, triggering a turbulent period for the historic squad.
Despite the strained history between the former partners, Johnson did not hesitate to express genuine sympathy for his rival's heartbreaking misfortune once the chequered flag waved on Sunday afternoon.
"As far as I’m concerned, he’s just another competitor," Johnson told Speedcafe. "I can feel sorry for him because I’ve been in the same situation. For anyone who loses it like that, it’s not nice. But that’s the nature of this event. It’s the most unpredictable race in the world and it always goes down to the last lap."
The triumphant result marks DJR’s first major crown since the departure of Scott McLaughlin and Team Penske at the end of 2020, cementing a remarkable resurgence following the Ralph family’s acquisition of an 80 percent stake in 2022.
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