STEVE Richards is champing at the bit for a chance to race the Nissan Skyline HR31 which helped his father Jim to the 1990 Australian Touring Car Championship crown.
Richards Sr contested the first six rounds of the 1990 season aboard the car before switching to the GT-R model for Wanneroo and Oran Park, where he sealed the title.
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The HR31 is owned by a friend of Richards, who has thrown his son the keys for the 2023 Heritage Touring Cars season-opener: the Phillip Island Classic on March 9-12.
“The opportunity was there to have a drive of it so naturally I said yes,” the 50-year-old Steve told V8 Sleuth.
“To be honest, I haven’t driven any of Dad’s cars and what better car to drive than the car that set up the 1990 touring car championship for him.
“I’m really looking forward to doing that, it will be a lot of fun.”
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Steve’s 1999 Bathurst-winning partner Greg Murphy will also contest the Phillip Island races aboard a sister HR31 Skyline.
Five-time Bathurst 1000 winner Steve has wound back his racing program since his final Great Race start in 2019, with his focus now on the blooming career of his own son Clay.
Clay will again compete in the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia 86 Series this year.
His 2023 started with a place in the Garry Rogers Motorsport Combine, triggering some family nostalgia; Steve and Jim together delivered GRM its first Bathurst 1000 podium in 1997, finishing runner-up to Larry Perkins and Russell Ingall.
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“It’s hard for young guys to go and get laps in different types of cars and I guess having that connection with GRM, it does mean a lot for Clay to get the invite to come along and by all accounts he acquitted himself pretty well and had a great time,” said Steve.
“I’m pretty understanding that eventually Clay is going to have to do some driving in other teams and this gave him an opportunity to do that and learn from others and experience motor racing from a different angle other than Dad and granddad.”
