DICK Johnson Racing has announced the completion of a partial sale to the Victorian-based Ralph family.
Ryan Story, executive chairman at the Ford squad, had last month flagged a hunt for a strategic partner to align itself with – much like it had for six years with Team Penske.
That new partner has now been locked in, in the form of Jet Couriers managing director and Melbourne Aces chairman Brett Ralph and his family, who have acquired a majority stake. The change will take effect in January 2023, under the Aces banner.
Story and team founder Dick Johnson will both retain shares in the team and will continue in their day-to-day capacity.
“I am excited to announce today the team’s partnership with the Ralph family,” said Story.
“Brett and the Ralph family are strategic investors at DJR, with the current management structure we have in place continuing to run the business day to day as they have been.
“Brett and the Ralph family are fantastic people, and we couldn’t imagine partnering with anyone else.
“They are extremely experienced business people with a passion for sport that is undeniable.
“From the moment I first spoke with Brett he and I just clicked, and I knew we would have a fantastic working relationship.”
Added Johnson: “Jillie and I are excited to welcome the Ralph family in to Dick Johnson Racing.
“We are immensely proud of the family culture we have created at DJR and to be working with a family who have the same values and views is extremely exciting and confidence-instilling.”
Brett Ralph, who is also a key figure at the Melbourne Storm, Melbourne United and Sunshine Coast Lightning, expressed his excitement at joining the DJR ownership ranks.
“On behalf of the Ralph Family, we are honoured to join Dick Johnson Racing as a majority shareholder,” he said.
“We are very excited to be part of Australia’s most iconic race team who has winning in its culture, just like all of our other business ventures and partnerships.”
DJR is the latest Supercars team to undergo an ownership change.
Tony Quinn last year bought a 40 percent share in Triple Eight Race Engineering, with Jess Dane and Jamie Whincup both increasing their stakes to 30 percent, and Roland Dane, Tim Miles and Paul Dumbrell stepping out.
V8 Sleuth reported last month that Rusty French had sold out of Tickford Racing, leaving Rod Nash and Sven Burchartz as its remaining co-owners.
The former Kelly Racing team is now known as Grove Racing, following a changeover 2021 season in which the two parties held a 50-50 split.
PremiAir Racing was formed this year when Peter Xiberras bought the remnants of Team Sydney from Jonathon Webb.
At Brad Jones Racing, Kim Jones sold his slice of the pie to brother Brad in 2020, while Barry Ryan picked up half of Erebus Motorsport’s licence for Car #99 the year before.
Finally, Walkinshaw Andretti United welcomed Michael Andretti of Andretti Autosport and Zak Brown of United Autosports as co-owners ahead of the 2018 Supercars Championship season.
