As Supercars celebrates its top 25 drivers of the last 25 years, Steven Richards ranks 17th on the list, a well-deserved nod to his remarkable career in Australian motorsport.
Stepping into the limelight with a last name synonymous with success, Richards had the daunting task of following in the footsteps of his father, legendary driver Jim Richards. Despite this pressure, Steven made his mark during a period when the competitive landscape of Supercars was rapidly evolving in the 2000s.
By the mid-2000s, Richards had established himself as a reliable and consistent performer, amassing three Bathurst 1000 wins and a PIRTEK Enduro Cup victory, cementing his place among the elite in the sport.
Richards began his career across various teams, starting with Gibson Motorsport, moving to Perkins Engineering, and later joining Ford Performance Racing (FPR). His versatility and adaptability allowed him to shine in different team environments, consistently being a top contender in the series.
His final solo victory came in the 2008 Darwin round, where he outperformed the competition. However, as FPR’s rising star, Mark Winterbottom, began to dominate, Richards was brought back in to assist Winterbottom in achieving his own Bathurst victory, a goal they successfully achieved in 2013.
In 2015, Richards made the switch to Triple Eight Race Engineering, joining forces with Craig Lowndes. Together, they won the prestigious Bathurst 1000 in 2015 and 2018, adding two more victories to Richards’ illustrious tally, bringing his total to five Bathurst wins.
Richards’ career came full circle in 2019, when he returned to work with Winterbottom at Team 18 for one final race before officially retiring. His departure marked the end of a distinguished career that saw the second-generation driver conquer some of the greatest challenges in Australian motorsport, culminating in five Bathurst victories, a testament to his skill, consistency, and legacy in Supercars.
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