First time you saw DJ race at a track

[Rob 18]

Having followed DJ since the late 70's, the first time I saw a DJR Ford turn a wheel in anger live was at Oran Park, the final endurance race for 1986 & the final race for the famous Mustang. I remember going back behind the pits when one of the other classes were racing to see if I could catch a glimpse of that famous #17 Mustang & there she was parked in one of them old tin sheds they used to have at Oran, no one around it, no fanfare & just being able to touch the Mustang was something I'll never forget I can tell you. As for the race I think DJ was heading for a solid podiom untill he had a problem late in the race and he had a DNF. But that didn't really matter as I'd finally seen that famous #17 Ford and that will be a day I'll never forget...
From that day on I have not missed one Bathurst 1000 & have been to most tracks on the eastern side of Australia plus the 2001 Clipsal 500 (the race where "the rat" trashed the brand new #18)in search of DJR victories, while they have been few and far between of late, there have plently of memorable moments in those 18 years of trying to catch a glimpse of them DJR Fords.
Anyone else remember there first glimpse of #17??

 

[TRU BLU]

Rob i think the first time i saw a djr car would of also been at Oran park i was then 15 years old and it was 1977 it was a endurance race mid season i think it was 300kms. I have to be honest and say that back then i was a mad Allan Moffat fan. But that dark blue XB coupe of Dicks sure caught my eye.But just like you i havent missed a race on the east coast of Australia to see djr. I remember the race you mentioned as i was also there and the year before that were Dick led most of the race in the Mustang and to have the front wheel fall off the car and costing him a win really shattered me. But my first glance of djr was Oran Park in 1977

 

[luvgreens tuf]

my first glance was at sandown in the tru blu xd,what a car,and 2nd was at bathurst 83,and the gorgeous Greens tuf,sad weekend though,but still love that car.

 

[Rob 18]

Yeah, good memories aren't they!

 

[XD 351 Ute]

It was winter 1986 when I first saw DJ racing the #17 Mustang.
Spent nearly all day at the pit area where the DJR camp was set up. Only moved when they were racing on the track!
I still have the picture I took of DJ, and he was very understanding while I stuffed around trying to figure out how to use my Dad's camera!
I had to catch a bus to Brisbane from home, took over 8 hours....
The trip was worth it, but never have I caught a bus again.
There's been plenty more trips to the races over the years, but none beats the first one.

Ed

 

[XD 351 Ute]

It was winter 1986 when I first saw DJ racing the #17 Mustang.
Spent nearly all day at the pit area where the DJR camp was set up. Only moved when they were racing on the track!
I still have the picture I took of DJ, and he was very understanding while I stuffed around trying to figure out how to use my Dad's camera!
I had to catch a bus to Brisbane from home, took over 8 hours....
The trip was worth it, but never have I caught a bus again.
There's been plenty more trips to the races over the years, but none beats the first one.

Ed

 

[Bigcol]

Can't remember but it was either 76, 77, or 78 at the old Surfers Paradise raceway

 

[Bigcol]

Can't remember but it was either 76, 77, or 78 at the old Surfers Paradise raceway

 

[Beejay]

Ohhh... Bathurst 1980... Saturday top ten... front row qualifying time alongside Bartlett's Camaro. The Sunday, blitzing them for 16 laps... Then, nothing. We were watching from the Esses and word slowly filtered through the crowd that the Quicklift truck had caused Dickie to crash. Then Bartlett hit a Gemini at the Esses and the truck came to get it. The crowd gave the truck crew ABSOLUTELY heaps. I've never seen a man as frightened as the truck driver. He thought the crowd was going to jump the track and hang him!

 

[Doug]

Hehe @ BeeJay: would have been quite a sight. For me, I first saw Dickie"in the flesh" in the blue XE @ Lakeside in the wet in 1983 - not the best handling car in the field, but as usual, DJ was mingling with the fans irrespective - top bloke!!!

 

[Henry]

I was a late bloomer... didn't make it trackside until the last round of the ATCC 1990... not an especially good one for DJR... IIRC Dick was theoretically in with a (very slim) chance for the title, but Richo streeted them in Godzilla.

Next one was the Nissan 500 at Eastern Creek, whicfh was looking oh so good until veru near the end, when the turbo in #17 cried enough and around she went , setting the trail of oil behind it alight as it went... they had led well for much of the event after Godzilla lost a wheel...

Eastern Ck 1992 ATCC wasn't much better... Perkins tried to back thru Dick's passenger door...

... but Bathurst 1994 more than made up for those...

 

[Doug]

Hey Henry, was that the one where DJ copped a liberace from Win Percy or was that the following year - talk about a handful - 600HP Sierra around Oran Park sans rear hatch and spoiler!!

 

[Henry]

I think that was '91... I remember how ordinary the car was that day, and the buffeting in the cab...

 

[DJR-1980]

The 1st Time I Saw Dj Race Was At Surfers Paradise In 1980 & 2nd Bathurst 1980

 

[DJR1718]

I think it would have been around about 1983 or 84 at Bathurst, sitting on Hell corner with my Dad.
The first time I spoke to him would have been 1988 or 1989 at Amaroo Raceway.

 

[Dobbo89]

I can't remember exactly, but I am pretty sure it was the begining of the sierra days, oran and amaroo park. he actually spent the time to make small talk with me, and during bathursts and up to the barbagello round in WA last year where I cornered him at his hotel on the monday morning, to autograph the biante 1:64 XE model, he has always been accessable, and thats why I am a life-long fan.

 

[Mitchell]

He's the man, Dobbo..

Welcome to the boards.

 

[Fordlover]

last year at qld raceway, he passed us on the road in(the driveway up to the car parks, hey it's part of qld raceway so it counts ) and waved back at me when i waved to him, and he was driving lol.

 

[Nascar12]

For me it was Lakeside , Greenstuf XE so maybe 83 - 84?

 

[4EVER17]

1976 @ Lakeside or Surfers, I was a flaggie for a couple of years back then but the first bituman race that has stuck in my head was lakeside with Jim Richards in the Sidcrome Mustang. There was always a BBQ at the end of the racemeetings at lakeside inside Hungry Corner where Dick would always wander over and keep us all entertained...Great Days indeed!!!Not sure whether it was the XA or XB coupe that I saw Dj in first but loved that Chanell 0 sponsored XC & remember being excited as all .... about seeing the XD`s first run at Lakeside.