On the eve of the first Repco Supercars Championship doubleheader in New Zealand, the Repco Garage has collated its top 10 touring car drivers from across the Tasman.
Jim Richards
A four-time Australian Touring Car Championship winner and taking victory at Bathurst on seven occasions, Jim Richards holds an impressive record.
Richards is also somewhat of a trailblazer for New Zealand drivers after first arriving in Australia during the late-1970s and setting up home where he became a hired gun, particularly by the Holden Dealer Team.
Turning his endurance success into ATCC titles as part of a long association with BMW then Nissan, Richards earnt many tags including the rain master and a driver able to race in anything competitively.
Shane van Gisbergen
Prior to jet setting to the US to embark on a successful NASCAR career, Shane van Gisbergen dominated the Repco Supercars Championship on multiple occasions.
Known for his uncompromising racing style, van Gisbergen won three Supercars titles and a trio of Bathurst 1000 victories in a long career in Australia having debuted at the age of 18.
Just like Richards, van Gisbergen has proven to be a motorsport allrounder having won the Bathurst 12 Hour, European-based Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup and was third in the Intercontinental GT Challenge.
Of course, he won on NASCAR Cup Series debut at the 2023 Grand Park 220 in Chicago and has gone onto win five further victories.
Scott McLaughlin
Another New Zealander to go to the US and achieve further success, Scott McLaughlin proved himself in the Repco Supercars Championship.
Winning in his maiden season, McLaughlin took a hat-trick of titles between 2018 and 2020 in addition to a Bathurst win in 2019.
McLaughlin led the way for DJR Team Penske by rising the team from cellar dweller to championship winner.
It didn’t get unnoticed as legendary motorsport luminary Roger Penske noticed the impact McLaughlin had and recruited him to his IndyCar squad for 2021.
Greg Murphy
Another New Zealander to make his mark in Australian touring car racing is Greg Murphy.
From the ‘Lap of the Gods’ to his four Bathurst wins, Murph has enjoyed immense success across the Tasman.
The heir apparent in 1996 for the Holden Racing Team when he guided Craig Lowndes to the Sandown-Bathurst sweep.
Murphy was a consistent championship contender at the turn of the millennium and won the first Repco Supercars Championship in New Zealand at Pukekohe back in 2001.
A fired up competitor, Murphy had 21 wins, 81 podiums and 13 poles from 448 starts.
Steven Richards
The son of Jim had a hard act to follow, but Steven Richards proved to be a match for his father’s versatility.
Winning in an array of categories, Richards made a name for himself at Garry Rogers Motorsport before doing something unprecedented.
Richards won the 1998 Bathurst 1000 for Ford’s Stone Brothers Racing, before switching to a full-time seat at Gibson Motorsport for 1999 and taking victory for Holden.
Completing a successful time career including 10 wins, 60 podiums and six poles, Richards moved into an endurance co-driver role leading to his third Bathurst 1000 victory with long-time teammate Mark Winterbottom.
A move to Red Bull Racing came in 2015, spawning immediate success partnering Craig Lowndes and again in 2018 leaving the Richards family with a combined 12 Bathurst victories
Matt Payne
Winning is still to be done for the leader of New Zealander’s latest crop of Supercars stars.
Fast tracked into Supercars competition, Matt Payne has achieved seven victories, 19 podiums and four poles since his debut season in 2022.
One of the victories was a stunning Bathurst 1000 win last year partnered by the experienced Garth Tander and another was in his homeland at Taupo.
Payne has already cemented himself as one Supercars future stars.
Paul Radisich
Paul Radisich arrived in V8 Supercars leaving a respected record in the British Touring Car Championship for Ford and Peugeot including two World Touring Car Cup crowns.
Radisich brought the panel rubbing mentality to Supercars and certainly provided plenty of action in his Dick Johnson Racing Falcon.
It was a short time for Radisich in V8 Supercars, but he made an impact courtesy of four race wins and was fourth in the title in 2000.
Radisich was a chance to win Bathurst on at least four occasions, especially in 1999 after a heartbreaking tyre delamination.
Robbie Francevic
If Paul Radisich had a short time in the championship, Robbie Francevic’s was a minor blip, except for his 1986 title success.
Coming across to contest the Australian Touring Car Championship in a European-sourced Volvo 240 Turbo spearheaded by fellow New Zealander Mark Petch.
The ‘Block of Flats’ as coined by Dick Johnson was very quick during 1985 when he won two of the 10 rounds.
For 1986, Francevic’s season got off to a great start by winning the opening two rounds, but his fortunes started to change when the team expanded to two Volvos and transitioned into the Volvo Dealer Team.
Although holding enough points to win the championship, Francevic and team manager John Shepperd were at odds leading to an explosive end at the Sandown 500.
Francevic didn’t return to defend his title and struggled to mount a serious attack again.
Jason Richards
Jason Richards may have just a single win to his name, but his legacy will continue to be honoured.
A popular driver during his days in the championship, Richards had his most success at Brad Jones racing where he was a consistent top 10 runner.
Richards proved quick at Team Dynamik including a near-victory at the 2003 Sandown 500 before further enhancing his credentials at Tasman Motorsport.
After being diagnosed with an aggressive cancer in 2010, Richards stepped down from full Supercars duties towards the end of 2010 and spasmodically raced the next season.
Richards lost his life in December 2011, but is honoured by the JR Memorial Trophy won for the races in New Zealand and Brad Jones Racing’s JR sticker.
Richie Stanaway
Although his full-time Supercars career was less than successful, Richie Stanaway proved to be a solid pick for the endurance races.
Before he joined the championship full-time Stanaway had already won the Sandown 500 due to his superior driving in the wet partnering Cam Waters.
A sometimes controversial figure, Stanaway’s full-time career was relaunched after winning the 2023 Bathurst 1000 pairing with fellow New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen in what was a dominating display.
Despite the challenges he had, Stanaway proved to be a strong contender when it counted.