Jack Smith Wins Jason Richards Memorial Trophy

Australian driver Jack Smith has won the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy at Teretonga Park today.

Richards was a three time New Zealand Touring Car Champion and since 2012 the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy has been awarded to drivers in the New Zealand V8 Championship.

Richards was a well-regarded driver by his peers on both sides of the Tasman and competed in the Australian Supercars Championship for ten years, before passing away from adrenocortical carcinoma – an aggressive form of cancer in 2011.

For the 2018/19 BNT V8s Championship, the trophy will be awarded to the driver with the most accumulative points following Round Three at Highlands Motorsport Park and Round Four at Teretonga.

The BNT V8 / New Zealand Touring Car trophy has been previously won by Jason Bargwanna in 2012, 2014 & 2015 with Nick Ross winning it in 2013. It has not been awarded since 2015.

Smith was the driver who accumulated the most points over rounds three and four held at Highlands Motorsport Park and Teretonga. Co-incidentally Smith also drives for Brad Jones Racing (BJR) in Australia in the Dunlop Super 2 Series, the last team that Richards drove for in his career.

Smith was award the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy by Motorsport New Zealand President, Wayne Christie.

“We had great pace over the last couple of rounds. To win the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy means a lot. It means a lot to a lot of people, and even though I didn’t know him personally, I know that it means a lot to the team at home at BJR, so it’s good for them as well,” said Smith.

Smith currently leads the BNT V8s Championship after four rounds, with two more rounds yet to run.

Caption: Jack Smith receives the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy from Motorsport New Zealand President, Wayne Christie.

Release: Freddy Foote