Restored DJR icons to be unveiled in 31-year first

On January 25-26, the cars will feature at the Canberra Festival of Speed at Thoroughbred Park.

EB2 and EB3 were raced by Dick Johnson and John Bowe respectively in the 1993 Australian Touring Car Championship.

That was the first year of the 5.0-litre V8 Group 3A era that formed the basis for what would become V8 Supercars.

Bowe will unveil the restored racing machines on January 25 in a special ceremony at the festival.

Bowe took EB2 to third in the championship while EB3 did not see out the season after crashing out of the 1993 Bathurst 1000 at the hands of Johnson.

“I can’t wait to reunite with these two very special treasures from my racing career,” said Bowe.

“Between them, they’re the first V8s I raced in the ATCC and the Bathurst 1000, and I’ve raced plenty since.

“These cars were a joy to drive after all the turbo lag of the Sierras from the years before, and without the aerodynamic downforce of today’s Supercars, they really put the emphasis on the driver to get the best out of them.”

Canberra Festival of Speed Director Martin Tanti said: “The sights and sounds of these iconic DJR vehicles embody the very heart and soul of Australian motorsport. Bringing them together for the first time in 31 years is nothing short of extraordinary – a rare and thrilling chance to relive the glory days of racing.

“Such legendary cars are rarely seen in public, which makes their appearance at the Canberra Festival of Speed a truly special moment for fans. Their addition to our already stellar Australian motorsport line-up will help us celebrate the evolution of these machines, live on the circuit, in all their roaring glory.”

The 2025 edition of the Canberra Festival of Speed will feature a slew of sports cars, including a Ferrari F40, Ferrari 288 GTO, Lamborghini Murcielago, and more.

The event will also feature a Tom Walkinshaw Racing-built VL SS Group A SV race car, plus cars from Group C, Porsche Carrera Cup, an Australian Sports Car Championship winner, and Australian Rally Championship winners.

Cars from Formula 3000, Formula 3, Formula 4, and the new Hyper Racer X1 will also feature.