Why JR Trophy is extra special for Randle
By Thomas Miles
Date posted: 29 March 2025
The Jason Richards Memorial Trophy is special for everyone to win, but for Thomas Randle there is some extra meaning.
The winner of the annual New Zealand Supercars round receives the memorial trophy after Richards passed away in 2011 due to cancer at just 35.
It is still a tough blow for many in the Supercars paddock and many drivers get emotional when lifting the trophy, most notably Jason Bright and Shane van Gisbergen.
Another victor where it would be a special occasion would be Randle.
Despite not being Kiwi, the Tickford driver overcame his own battle with cancer just two years before his Supercars main game debut.
As a result, Randle has a big focus on the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy.
“I would love to win the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy,” he said.
“What Jason brought to the sport as not only a driver, but also a person was amazing with the battle he went through at the end.
“To still be racing through that was something that inspired me through my own personal challenges a few years ago.”
Randle is referring to when Richards famously scored a stunning second at the then non championship round at Albert Park in 2011 for BJR, just nine months before he passed.
On the track Randle will be looking to step up.
After showing speed in Cam Waters’ slipstream in Sydney, the #55 has dropped back to ninth in the championship after a tough Melbourne SuperSprint where his only top 10 was eighth on Thursday when he charged through the pack.
Randle highlighted qualifying as the major area of improvement.
“First race of the year we had a double podium, but the Grand Prix was not what we would have liked,” he said.
“Our one lap pace was where we struggled. We had decent race pace, but had a few little incidents and struggled to show it on track before the last race was cancelled when it was pretty wet.
“As a team we struggled last year. We were okay in the wet, but not so much in the dry and have learnt a lot from last year.
“It is quite a unique circuit with many changes of track surface that are quite different.
“There are some good surfaces and quite poor ones as well so finding a good balance will be the key.
“We will also be racing on the new Soft and Super Soft tyres which we did not have last year.
“Hopefully the Northern Island can put on some kinder weather for us but it is a great place to go racing.”
Don’t forget the print edition of Auto Action available via subscription here or you can purchase a copy of the latest issue from one of our outlets here. For more of the latest motorsport news, subscribe to AUTO ACTION magazine.
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