Johnnie Walker (racing driver)
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (August 2009) |
John Walker (3 September 1944 – 6 May 2024) was an Australian racing driver.
Biography
[edit]Johnnie Walker was born in Adelaide, South Australia on 27 September 1943,[1][2] He first raced in the early 1960s at Mallala in his Holden FE road car.[2] After competing in the Australian Formula 2 Championship he graduated to Formula 5000 in 1972, driving an Elfin MR5 and a Matich A50 before switching to the Lola marque in late 1973.
Walker finished second in both the 1973 and 1975 Australian Drivers' Championships before breaking through to win the title in 1979 in his Lola T332 Chevrolet. He also won the 1979 Australian Grand Prix at Wanneroo Raceway.
In 1975, he was highly competitive in the Tasman Series going into the final round at Sandown as equal series leader with Warwick Brown and Graeme Lawrence. However he crashed his Lola on the first lap demolishing 50 metres of the horse racetrack's running rails.
Walker drove several touring car races for the Holden Dealer Team in 1975-1976 including co-driving with Colin Bond in the 1975 Hardie Ferodo 1000 where they placed third in a Holden Torana SL/R 5000 L34.
Walker died on 6 May 2024, at the age of 80.[1]
Career results
[edit]Results sourced from Driver Database.[3]
Complete Tasman Series results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 |  City State Racing
|
Elfin MR5 Repco-Holden | PUK | LEV | WIG | TER | SUR | WAR | SAN | AIR 4 |
12th | 3 |
| 1973 | Johnnie Walker
|
Elfin MR5 Repco-Holden | PUK | LEV | WIG | TER | SUR 4 |
WAR 4 |
SAN 5 |
AIR Ret |
9th | 8 |
| 1974 | Johnnie Walker
|
Lola T330 Repco-Holden | LEV 1 |
PUK 7 |
WIG Ret |
TER Ret |
ORA 2 |
SUR 5 |
SAN 3 |
AIR Ret |
3rd | 21 |
| 1975 | Johnnie Walker
|
Lola T332 Repco-Holden | LEV 4 |
PUK 4 |
WIG 3 |
TER 4 |
ORA 3 |
SUR 1 |
AIR 3 |
SAN Ret |
2nd | 30 |
Complete Bathurst 500/1000 results
[edit]| Year | Team | Co-drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Aunger Accessories / Fairway Ford
|
Kym Aunger
|
Ford XW Falcon GTHO Phase II | E | 18 | DNF | DNF |
| 1971 | City State Racing Team
|
Malcolm Ramsay
|
Holden LC Torana GTR XU-1 | D | 124 | 18th | 11th |
| 1975 | Holden Dealer Team
|
Colin Bond
|
Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | D | 154 | 3rd | 3rd |
| 1978 | Settlement Road Motor Wreckers
|
Warren Cullen
|
Holden LX Torana SS A9X Hatchback | A | 152 | 7th | 7th |
References
[edit]- ^ a b OBrien, Garry (6 May 2024). "Vale: Johnnie Walker". Speedcafe.com. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ a b James Cockington, Keep walking, Australian Muscle Car, Issue 66, March / April 2013, pages 103 - 112
- ^ Johnnie Walker - Driver Database
- ^ a b 1973 SCCA L&M Championship Review (Part 1), www.myf5000.com Retrieved on 26 April 2014
- ^ Official Entry List, The Glen L&M Championship Race, www.myf5000.com Retrieved on 26 April 2014
- Australian Motor Racing Annual, 1972, page 40
- Racing Car News, November 1972, page 61
- Australian Competition Yearbook, 1974, pages 59, 75, 208
- Australian Competition Yearbook, 1975, pages 46, 70
- Australian Competition Yearbook, 1976, pages 65, 108, 117–120, 188
- Australian Competition Yearbook, 1977, pages 104-110
- Australian Competition Yearbook, 1978, page 115