Touring car champion John Bowe has been recognised for his decades-long contribution to Australian motorsport by receiving a Life Membership at the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport’s night of champions awards.
The annual national CAMS awards saw Bowe as one of four people added to the list of inductees on the national body’s Life Membership honour roll.
Bowe’s citation by the national body recognises one of the most adaptable and gifted racers in Australian motorsport history.
The latest accolade adds to the Devonport-born Bowe’s induction in the V8 Supercars Hall of Fame in 2009, joining such icons as Allan Moffat, Peter Brock, Dick Johnson, Colin Bond and among others Jim Richards.
“I’ve been involved in the sport for more than 40 years now and prior to that as a kid my dad was involved so I’d been going to motor races all my life,” Bowe told Speedcafe.com.
“I’ve only now come to acknowledge the work put in at race meetings by the officials and volunteers much more than I’ve ever had in my life. They have a very thankless job in a lot of cases.
“To receive this award from a body which is the FIA representative in Australia is pretty special although I’ve never been a seeker of awards.”
The 62-year-old continues to be a powerhouse on the track, collecting his fifth Touring Car Masters title in 2016.
A former 10-year team-mate to Dick Johnson, Bowe won the Bathurst 1000 with his former boss in 1989 and 1994 along with the Australian Touring Car Championship for DJR in 1995.
“I’ve now been told that I’ve done over 1100 races which is more than anyone else in Australian motor racing history,’ Bowe said.
“I’ve won nine Australian Championships in four different categories and I’ve won just over 200 races and 100 pole positions.”
Bowe, a two-times Australian Driver’s Champion and Australian Sports Car Champion, retired from V8 Supercars at the end of 2007 and then experienced a long period of personal turmoil as he fought the demons of depression.
The Tasmanian spoke at length about his struggles where he continually thought about taking his own life with the ABC’s Australia Wide program last year.
Bowe retains his trademark sense of humour, saying he hoped the award might have a ‘fringe’ benefit.
“I wonder whether this now gives me a platinum pass straight through the stewards office,” a jocular Bowe remarked.
“But seriously to be awarded Life Membership means that someone down at CAMS is thinking of me in a good way and that’s nice.”
Other Life Memberships were presented to long-time Australian chair Colin Trinder, Alan Vaughan for his lifetime of service of developing and contributing to motorsport and for Denise Strawbridge’s 40 years of service to motorsport and dedication in the establishment and management of Off Road racing.
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