Bathurst 1000 winner and former Holden Dealer Team manager John Harvey has received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).
The 81-year-old’s honour was announced as part of Australia Day celebrations and comes almost two years after he was inducted into the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame.
Harvey initially made his mark as a highly talented speedcar driver at Sydney Showground in the 1950s and won three New South Wales titles before his switch to circuit racing.
He also won the Australian 1.5 Litre Championship in 1966 and the Australian Sports Car Championship in 1971 and 1972.
Harvey shared victory in the Great Race with Peter Brock and Larry Perkins in 1983, before claiming the inaugural Darwin to Adelaide World Solar Challenge in 1987 and a class win in the 1988 24 Hours of Spa.
He also holds a special place in history as the winner of the first ever round of the World Touring Car Championship, at Monza in 1987, when he shared a Holden Commodore with Allan Moffat.
CLICK HERE for Speedcafe.com’s Where Are They Now? feature on John Harvey from 2009.
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