Jason Richards withdraws from enduros

Brad Jones Racing driver Jason Richards has withdrawn from his plans to enter the upcoming endurance rounds of the V8 Supercars championship, and his shared drive with Jason Bright will be taken by Andrew Jones.

Richards stood down from racing duties in November last year after the 35-year-old New Zealander was diagnosed with Adrenocortical Carcinoma.

Richards has been racing sporadically whilst undergoing treatment this season, most recently in the Muscle Car Masters series last weekend at Eastern Creek where he took the win. He also raced in the non championship Australian Grand Prix supporting rounds back in March, taking a podium finish in the second race of the weekend.

“Although I’m feeling really good at the moment, I haven’t solved my health problems,” said Richards.

“I was hoping to have something by now to indicate we could win the battle with this cancer but ultimately it’s not been the case. Every scan I’ve had has got worse and worse and I’ve not been able to put the brakes on it.”

“I have periods where I feel really good and periods when I’m not so good and it’s too hard to determine when they’re going to be. I didn’t want to let the team down.”

“I think it would have been my 15th Bathurst and it’s pretty disappointing not to be participating but that’s what life dishes out.”

Team owner Brad Jones added:
“I don’t think there’s one team member, including the drivers, who wouldn’t like JR to be driving the car but his health is the most important thing in the world and clearly he’s still got a titanic battle on his hands.”