DJR reveals livery additions for 500th round

Dick Johnson Racing will mark its 500th Supercars round with two key livery tweaks on its Shell V-Power Ford Mustangs this weekend.

The 2023 VAILO Adelaide 500 will go down in the record books as DJR’s 500th ATCC/Supercars Championship round.

DJR is one of Australia’s oldest and most successful motorsports teams, and is the first Supercars team to reach the milestone.

It comes after DJR recorded its 1000th ATCC/Supercars race start at last October’s Repco Bathurst 1000.

DJR debuted in the championship with Supercars Hall of Famer Johnson at Symmons Plains in 1981. In the decades since, DJR has enjoyed major success.

Since 1981, the year has won 10 drivers’ championships, three teams’ championships and four Bathurst 1000s.

This weekend, the Anton De Pasquale and Will Davison Fords will carry the blue Queensland 17 logo, paying homage to the history of Johnson through his 1981 Tru Blue XD Falcon. 

Both cars will also carry a message above the windows, reading, 'Celebrating 500 Rounds'.

For Johnson, 500 rounds represents the people that have passed through DJR, and cited the influence of wife Jill as key to the team’s success.

"I’m really proud of the fact that we’re the only team who has ever chalked up 500 Championship Rounds,” Johnson said.

"To see our team grow to what it has today is something that I am exceptionally proud of. To be quite honest though, a team consists of many people, and we’ve had many important people as part of DJR throughout the years.

“But the one person who has been consistent throughout the whole time has been Jillie, I couldn’t have done it without her.” 

De Pasquale and Davison are eighth and 11th in the drivers’ standings, and DJR fourth in the teams’ standings, heading to Adelaide. Track action commences Thursday.