Tasmanian racing hero reaches another motor milestone at Baskerville

He holds the lap record at Baskerville and champion John Bowe is about to notch up another personal milestone at the track where it all started. ALL THE LATEST >>

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TASMANIAN motorsport legend John Bowe won his 100th Touring Car Masters race at Symmons Plains on Tuesday and this weekend “JB” hits another career milestone — 50 years of racing at Baskerville Raceway.

Bowe, 66, has done it all in Australian motorsport — won Bathurst twice, the Australian touring car championship, two Australian Drivers Championship Gold Stars, and member of the sport’s Hall of Fame.

It all started racing at Baskerville as a teenager and has held the outright lap record of 50.15s for four decades, set in a Ralt RT4 open-wheeler.

Touring Car Masters veteran John Bowe driving his Torana SLR5000 at Baskerville Raceway PHOTO ANGRYMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Along with TCR, Trans Am and S5000, Bowe is back for Race Tasmania as a frontrunner in the Touring Car Masters event, which will be a closely fought contest with fellow-Tasmanian and championship leader Adam Garwood.

“I did my first competitive motor race at this track,” Bowe said.

“I qualified fourth and ran out of talent on the first lap and ended up in the paddock, so it was a very tame debut.

“That was 50 years ago – it’s hard to say that cause you think wow where did those 50 years go.

“I’ve been racing here for a long time.

“It has always been Australian racing’s best-kept secret – it’s a beaut little track.

Racing legend John Bowe and his Torana at Symmons Plains. Picture Chris Kidd

“As a spectator circuit it’s unequalled – we should have more national races here.”

The first instalment of the sellout motorsport event Race Tasmania – the first major event in the state since the coronavirus shutdown — was at Symmons Plains earlier this week.

“We’ve all been starved of racing or a year so it’s like winning the lottery being able to race again,” Bowe said.