RIP Jason Richards

WTCC, BTCC, DTM and Aussie V8s
User avatar
theracer120
Elite Member
Elite Member
Posts: 6218
Joined: 15 years ago
Real Name: Simon
Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

RIP Jason Richards

#1

Post by theracer120 »

Brad Jones Racing released a statement today (Thursday) stating driver Jason Richards has withdrawn from the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship after being diagnosed with a tumor.

The statement said hospital tests performed this week have revealed Richards has a tumor in his abdomen.

“A team of specialists is planning the best course of action and the tumor is expected to be removed early next week,” it said.

“As a result Jason will not be competing in the final two rounds of the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series.

“Andrew Jones will drive the Team BOC BJR Commodore in his place.”

Messages of support can be sent via the comments section below, the Jason Richards Fan Page on Facebook or snail mail.

The team’s mailing address is 4/838 Hope Court, Albury, New South Wales, 2640.

BigPond, who is a sponsor of Jason, wishes him all the best.
Last edited by theracer120 12 years ago, edited 1 time in total.
DoubleFault
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 11139
Joined: 18 years ago

#2

Post by DoubleFault »

Damn, best wishes and good luck to the guy.
User avatar
Ian-S
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 10232
Joined: 16 years ago

#3

Post by Ian-S »

urgh everywhere I turn at the moment I see something like this :(
I am very sorry if you find my posts long and boring, I like to type and often go off on a tangent.
If this is the case, you may click here to solve the problem, or alternatively here too.
User avatar
Everso Biggyballies
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 48988
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Chris
Favourite Motorsport: Anything that goes left and right.
Favourite Racing Car: Too Many to mention
Favourite Driver: Kimi,Niki,Jim(none called Michael)
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife, Spa, Mt Panorama.
Car(s) Currently Owned: Audi SQ5 3.0L V6 TwinTurbo
Location: Just moved 3 klms further away so now 11 klms from Albert Park, Melbourne.

#4

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

The TV news here suggested it had spread from his stomach into his kidneys, which sounds like bad news, but here's hoping for a full and swift recovery to Jason. The guy is only 34, way too young for anything like this.

He has shown himself a fighter on track and hopefully the same characteristics will hold high with this battle. What makes the news even more galling is that he is one of the nicest and most approachable guys in the V8 paddock.

* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
User avatar
kals
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 28276
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: Kieran
Favourite Motorsport: F1..BTCC..MotoGP
Favourite Racing Car: Benetton B189
Favourite Circuit: Donington Park
Location: New Jersey

#5

Post by kals »

Man that is tough. Best wishes go to Jason and his family and friends.
User avatar
Everso Biggyballies
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 48988
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Chris
Favourite Motorsport: Anything that goes left and right.
Favourite Racing Car: Too Many to mention
Favourite Driver: Kimi,Niki,Jim(none called Michael)
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife, Spa, Mt Panorama.
Car(s) Currently Owned: Audi SQ5 3.0L V6 TwinTurbo
Location: Just moved 3 klms further away so now 11 klms from Albert Park, Melbourne.

#6

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Richards recovering after successful surgery
Tuesday 23rd November, 2010

I guess it cannot be taken as 100% good news until all the tests are completed, and they know more of the type of tumour they are dealing with and that anything that should not be there is not left behind..... but when they classify the surgery as successful at least it is a good starting point, heading in the right direction and potentially a better place to be at than where he was last week.

Lets hope that the next round of tests is as positive as possible and that Jason is up and about soon. :thumbsup:

Jason Richards is now recovering in a private Melbourne hospital after undergoing surgery to remove the tumour in his abdomen.

Three specialist surgeons, led by Associate Professor Damien Bolton (a Urologist), removed the whole tumour in a procedure that lasted several hours last night.

Richards, the driver of the #8 Team BOC Commodore VE, will be kept in an induced coma for this first part of his recovery. He will then have a minor procedure on Wednesday before being woken up.

Tests are being carried out to establish what type of tumour it is and results of those tests are not expected until next week.

A team release today said that more information will be released when available.

* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
User avatar
Hamster
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
Posts: 1414
Joined: 19 years ago

#7

Post by Hamster »

I went to the same intermediate school as Jason (not at the same time of course) so - although it's a weak link - I have always felt something special towards him. I hope is recovery is swift.
User avatar
Everso Biggyballies
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 48988
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Chris
Favourite Motorsport: Anything that goes left and right.
Favourite Racing Car: Too Many to mention
Favourite Driver: Kimi,Niki,Jim(none called Michael)
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife, Spa, Mt Panorama.
Car(s) Currently Owned: Audi SQ5 3.0L V6 TwinTurbo
Location: Just moved 3 klms further away so now 11 klms from Albert Park, Melbourne.

#8

Post by Everso Biggyballies »


* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
User avatar
PTRACER
Forum Administrator
Forum Administrator
Posts: 42138
Joined: 20 years ago
Real Name: Paul
Favourite Motorsport: Formula 1
Favourite Racing Car: Lotus 49
Favourite Driver: Gilles Villeneuve, James Hunt
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife
Car(s) Currently Owned: Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X JDM
Contact:

#9

Post by PTRACER »

Hope he pulls through this one
Developer of the 1967v3 Historic Mod for Grand Prix Legends: viewtopic.php?t=17429

King of the Race Track, Destroyer of Tyres, Breaker of Lap Records
User avatar
Ian-S
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 10232
Joined: 16 years ago

#10

Post by Ian-S »

best of luck, he'll need it.
I am very sorry if you find my posts long and boring, I like to type and often go off on a tangent.
If this is the case, you may click here to solve the problem, or alternatively here too.
User avatar
kals
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 28276
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: Kieran
Favourite Motorsport: F1..BTCC..MotoGP
Favourite Racing Car: Benetton B189
Favourite Circuit: Donington Park
Location: New Jersey

#11

Post by kals »

My fingers are crossed for Jason.
User avatar
theracer120
Elite Member
Elite Member
Posts: 6218
Joined: 15 years ago
Real Name: Simon
Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

#12

Post by theracer120 »

He apparently has adrenal gland carcinoma. The odds are very high for Jason, apparently the 5 year survival rate is 20%-35% and 50% to 65% if you have successful surgery.

It is also apparently very rare: only 1 or 2 people per million ever get it.
User avatar
Everso Biggyballies
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 48988
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Chris
Favourite Motorsport: Anything that goes left and right.
Favourite Racing Car: Too Many to mention
Favourite Driver: Kimi,Niki,Jim(none called Michael)
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife, Spa, Mt Panorama.
Car(s) Currently Owned: Audi SQ5 3.0L V6 TwinTurbo
Location: Just moved 3 klms further away so now 11 klms from Albert Park, Melbourne.

#13

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Jason has himself broken his silence over his health, and made a statement via his facebook on the ups and downa of the past two weeks..... Jason also made a special note of thanks to his many well-wishers.

He now sees himself in recovery mode and preparing for his next challenges. (Chemo)
Jason's facebook wrote: “I’m back and in an undrugged state, first time in days.”

“I’m still in hospital but I came out of ICU over the weekend. I ended up having two surgeries, the big one last Monday night which was something crazy like seven hours long and the second on Wednesday night which was only a couple of hours long."

“The last week is all a bit of a blur, considering I was asleep for most of it. I have a team of champions working on this and they have achieved some pretty cool stuff."

“I’m speeding through the surgery recovery reaching milestones everyday. It’s weird not having much contact with the outside world and I don’t rate being connected to so many machines!"

“I’ve experienced both the effects of morphine … the pain stopper and the freaky trippy moments. I’ll stick to motor racing for my adrenalin rush!”

“Thanks again everyone for the wealth of support.”

“I’m looking forward to getting out of hospital and heading home, especially as Sienna (Richards’ daughter) thinks I look funny in a dress! (hospital gown).

“Now it’s time to prepare myself for the second phase.”

* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
User avatar
Everso Biggyballies
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 48988
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Chris
Favourite Motorsport: Anything that goes left and right.
Favourite Racing Car: Too Many to mention
Favourite Driver: Kimi,Niki,Jim(none called Michael)
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife, Spa, Mt Panorama.
Car(s) Currently Owned: Audi SQ5 3.0L V6 TwinTurbo
Location: Just moved 3 klms further away so now 11 klms from Albert Park, Melbourne.

#14

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

I thought I had mentioned these special moments already, but it seems not.....

It has been a difficult year for Jason, but there have been ups and downs. I will try to update you all on what has happened in his life health-wise and on a happier note he has taken part in a few races.

Around Clipsal time we learnt that the Chemo was not really working as they had hoped on poor Jason's cancer.... despite it being an intense treatment, 4 days a week 8 hours per day. However as he was on a chemo break in the earlier part of the year, it was announced that Jason would do a race in the Fujitsu V8 support race at the Clipsal 500 meeting.
http://www.speedcafe.com.au/2011/03/15/ ... -adelaide/

In the Fujitsu race, dont forget in a car he had never even sat in before, he qualified midfield, and finished the first race midfield (12th).
However for the main race Jason won by over a second.

This is a clip which starts with a good Clipsal preview , then has a great interview with Jason after the win.



Jason tells of his rare (he is one of only 3 cases in Australia) cancer in the Clipsal Press Conf:



He also raced in another Clipsal support category..... competing in a Ferrari in the opening round of the VodkaO Australian GT Championship, in one of the Two Driver races the category has per year..
Richards was co-driver in a Maranello Motorsport-prepared Ferrari 430 GT3s.



Retired previous ATCC winner John Bowe, now a regular competitor in the Ferraris is actually Jason's next door neighbour, and set the drive up.

Better news was to follow, during the very next week, although sadly perhaps it was not good news reference his cancer. It was confirmed that the cancer was not affected at all by the chemo, and was still growing...... the next step was he was to going to the US mid year to take part in a new experimental cancer drug 'test' programme.

But in racing terms it was announced that Jason would drive in the full V8SC races at the Grand Prix supports that weekend. He was to drive the Brad Jones 'BOC' entered car normally driven by Jason Bargwana (who offered to stand down for the non championship race). Jason Bargwana was the driver who replaced Richards at BOC on the news of his cancer.

Unbelievably, Jason managed to qualify in the top 10, ahead of BOC Teamate Jason Bright, not to mention names like Tander Holdsworth Ingall Murphy Kelly etc. In the top 10 shootout he finished 5th fastest!.

In Race 1 he finished 6th. Race 2 and HE CAME SECOND! Just 0.4 secs behind the winner. Sadly race 3 was a DNF

Jason Richards Interview, 2nd Place, V8 Race 2, Albert Park 400 (26/03/11)
**Lump in throat warning** If this does not strike an emotional chord somewhere in you then you are officially not human. As you will see that includes Greg Rust the Channel 10 presenter.



In another press conference at the Albert Park national media centre he had most of the media, team members and his family in tears when he made an inspirational speech.

Here are some of the quotes .
“For some reason, I seem to be performing better with cancer in me!” he said.

“I’ve got a massive battle on my hands. My cancer is not getting any better. I’m off chemotherapy, so shortly I’ll have my hair back.
“I’m on a break from treatment, I’ve just gone on a new trial drug on Monday from Sydney. I’m just praying like hell that I’ve got the actual active drug. Chemo definitely knocks you around. I still managed to do some test days after the chemo to keep myself active. I think that’s a big part of this treatment and that’s the mental part, and that’s what I’m doing this weekend.”
Richards says that he found out just how unfit he is when his cool suit failed in yesterday’s first race.
“I have to say, stages of yesterday’s race, particularly when the cool suit didn’t work, I was digging in pretty hard,” he said.
“But today, when you’re up the front, the adrenaline kicks in.
“My lungs aren’t at full capacity, so it’s a bit tougher than it used to be for me.
“I’m not as race fit as these lads. I’ve been out of the chair for six race meetings, and I was eating ice cubes back there for a week! It’s not really good pre-season fitness.
“This really is my couple of little weekends in a row where I’m having a normal life. This is definitely not my comeback. This is purely me having fun, me being able to have fun.”

Richards heads back to hospital this Tuesday, and says that being able to race is giving him a better outlook.
“It really does make a difference when I’m in hospital, having the positive energy, walking in with a spring in my step rather than coming in off the couch,” he said.
“That makes a big difference. I don’t know if it’s the fitness I get during the race meeting, or the energy I get from friends and the V8 family, the fans, the media, everyone who has stood behind me through this.”
Perhaps the most inspiring part of the press conference was Richards speaking about a young boy who he met today who is suffering from a similar cancer.
“Before the race, I had a four-year-old in my transporter who has neuroblastoma. It’s a similar cancer to what I’ve got,” Richards said.
“I find myself lucky when I’m looking at this young boy – I’ve got a three and a half your old and a 17 month old myself. I’d rather take on this battle myself, rather than them, but this young boy has given me a lot of inspiration because they don’t fully understand how sick they really are. They just get on with they’re life, and that’s what I’m trying to do myself.
“The emotional support, the positive support I’ve had this weekend – this is exactly why I’m doing it. I’m doing it for fun. I’m very grateful to BJR, Team BOC, Jason Bargwanna, Brad and Kim Jones for allowing this to happen.
“When you’re just doing some skids in the car, it’s not too bad!”
A great pic of Jason on the podium at Albert Park

Image


More recently with the news of Jason having to personally fund his US cancer experimental treatment, the local V8 drivers set up a charity and an online ongoing ebay like auction of motorsport memorabilia to help with funding.

Jason Richards fundraising campaign launched

Holden kicked off by donating a brand new car to be auctioned on the website. Pleased to say that http://www.bid4jase.com (the website for the auction) has been and is still being well supported, and by not only the V8SC locals, with Mark Webber having involved and garnered support from within the F1 Community as well.

Mark Webber rallies Formula One drivers to throw support behind V8 Supercars driver Jason Richards

It is not just the car racing fraternity either:

Horsepower Hero day for Jason Richards at Sandown on Wednesday May 25.

Actually, since Jason came 2nd at the GP meeting, the BOC Team seem to have been inspired... Indeed Jason Bright took Brad Jones Racing’s first ever race win in the V8 Supercars Championship, winning a race at the most recent round at Wanneroo / Barbagello. They dedicated their performance to Jason Richards:
Bright dedicates his victory to ‘Jase.’

“This morning was certainly for him,” Bright said.“I think everybody understands that he would be up here as well if he was here.”
Amazingly teamate Jason Bargwana finished on the podium in 3rd in that same race. (So many Jasons at Brad Jones racing!) This was the race in which the third Brad Jones Racing car of Karl Reindler was involved in the huge fireball start crash when hit by another car.

Richards was also nominated one of the most inspirational sportsmen in Australia.

The latest news.....

At Winton for this weekend V8SC round Jason was there and yesterday gave this update on his health .



It seems the battle with cancer is not going as well as we would like.
All the very best wishes and luck to Jason with the experimental treatment in the US. I think his overall demeanour and attitude has been brilliant. Inspirational indeed. Keep fighting Jason! And enjoy life.


And finally, just thought I would post this memory of Jason on the limit at a previous Hamilton V8SC round. Committed is I think the word!


* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
User avatar
Hamster
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
Posts: 1414
Joined: 19 years ago

#15

Post by Hamster »

Can only hope for the best for poor Jason.
Post Reply