Johnnie Walker (racing driver) explained

John Walker (3 September 1944 – 6 May 2024) was an Australian racing driver.

Biography

Johnnie Walker was born in Adelaide, South Australia on 27 September 1943,[1] He first raced in the early 1960s at Mallala in his Holden FE road car.[1] 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.[2]

Career results

Results sourced from Driver Database.[3]

SeasonSeriesPositionCarTeam
1965Australian Drivers' Championship10thGilbert Motor Bodies
1967Australian Drivers' Championship18thGilbert Motor Bodies
1967Australian 1½ Litre Championship9thGilbert Motor Bodies
1968Australian Drivers' Championship9thElfin Mono 2B FordGilbert Motor Bodies
1968Australian 1½ Litre Championship4thElfin Mono 2B FordGilbert Motor Bodies
1969Australian Drivers' ChampionshipNCElfin 600B FordGilbert Motor Bodies
1970Australian Drivers' ChampionshipNCElfin 600B FordGilbert Motor Bodies
1970Australian Formula 2 Championship2ndGilbert Motor Bodies
1971Australian Drivers' Championship13thElfin 600BCity State Racing Team
1971Australian Formula 2 Championship4th
1972Tasman Series12thElfin MR5 Repco-HoldenCity State Racing Team
1972Australian Drivers' Championship4th Matich A50 Repco-Holden5AD / City State Racing
1973Tasman Series9th Matich A50 Repco-HoldenJohnnie Walker
1973Australian Drivers' Championship2nd Lola T330 Repco-HoldenJohn Walker Motor Racing
1973SCCA L&M Championship21st[4] Matich A50 Repco-HoldenJohnnie Walker[5]
1974Tasman Series4thLola T330 Repco-Holden
1974Australian Formula 2 Championship7th
1975Tasman Series2ndLola T332 Repco-Holden
1975Australian Drivers' Championship2ndLola T332 Repco-HoldenJohn Walker
1978Rothmans International Series4thLola T332 ChevroletMagnum Wheels
1979Rothmans International Series11thLola T332 ChevroletMagnum Wheels
1979Australian Drivers' Championship1stLola T332 ChevroletMagnum Wheels
1981Australian Sports Car Championship4thPorsche TurboMagnum Wheels

Complete Tasman Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamCar12345678DCPoints
1972 City State RacingElfin MR5 Repco-HoldenPUKLEVWIGTERSURWARSANstyle=background:#dfffdfAIR
4
12th3
1973 Johnnie WalkerElfin MR5 Repco-HoldenPUKLEVWIGTERstyle=background:#dfffdfSUR
4
style=background:#dfffdfWAR
4
style=background:#dfffdfSAN
5
style=background:#efcfffAIR
Ret
9th8
1974 Johnnie WalkerLola T330 Repco-Holdenstyle=background:#ffffbfLEV
1
style=background:#cfcfffPUK
7
style=background:#efcfffWIG
Ret
style=background:#efcfffTER
Ret
style=background:#dfdfdfORA
2
style=background:#dfffdfSUR
5
style=background:#ffdf9fSAN
3
style=background:#efcfffAIR
Ret
style=background:#ffdf9f3rdstyle=background:#ffdf9f21
1975 Johnnie WalkerLola T332 Repco-Holdenstyle=background:#dfffdfLEV
4
style=background:#dfffdfPUK
4
style=background:#ffdf9fWIG
3
style=background:#dfffdfTER
4
style=background:#ffdf9fORA
3
style=background:#ffffbfSUR
1
style=background:#ffdf9fAIR
3
style=background:#efcfffSAN
Ret
style=background:#dfdfdf2ndstyle=background:#dfdfdf30

Complete Bathurst 500/1000 results

YearTeamCo-driversCarClassLaps
1970 Aunger Accessories / Fairway Ford Kym AungerFord XW Falcon GTHO Phase IIE18DNFDNF
1971 City State Racing Team Malcolm RamsayHolden LC Torana GTR XU-1D12418th11th
1975 Holden Dealer Team Colin BondHolden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34D154style=background:#ffdf9f3rdstyle=background:#ffdf9f3rd
1978 Settlement Road Motor Wreckers Warren CullenHolden LX Torana SS A9X HatchbackA1527th7th

References

  1. James Cockington, Keep walking, Australian Muscle Car, Issue 66, March / April 2013, pages 103 - 112
  2. Web site: OBrien . Garry . 2024-05-06 . Vale: Johnnie Walker . 2024-05-07 . Speedcafe.com . en-AU.
  3. https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/johnnie-walker/ Johnnie Walker - Driver Database
  4. http://www.myf5000.com/files/73_p1.pdf 1973 SCCA L&M Championship Review (Part 1), www.myf5000.com
  5. http://www.myf5000.com/files/entry_list_watkins_glen_19733.pdf Official Entry List, The Glen L&M Championship Race, www.myf5000.com