Four-wheel Racing Career
| Wayne Gardner | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Australian |
| Born | (1959-10-11) 11 October 1959 (age 53) Wollongong, NSW, Australia |
| Retired | 2002 |
| All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship | |
| Years active | 1996-2002 |
| Teams | TOM's |
| Best finish | 6th in 2001 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship |
| Previous series | |
| 1993-2002 | V8 Supercar |
Following his retirement from the 500 cc championship, Gardner turned his interests to four-wheeled motorsport. He began his touring car career in 1992, driving the Raider Motorsport built Bob Forbes Racing VN Commodore, leased by Graham Moore for the 1992 Bathurst 1000. In 1993 Gardner won a race at the Australian Grand Prix weekend and finishing third in the prestigious Bathurst 1000, driving a Holden Commodore. Many incidents while driving for the Holden Racing Team in 1993 led to him being given the nickname Captain Chaos, and actually led to his brief suspension from the team for that year's Sandown 500. For the 1994 season he formed his own team, Wayne Gardner Racing, where he raced for three seasons with team mate Neil Crompton. The team folded after a partial 1999 season with a leased car from Perkins Engineering, but he continued racing V8 Supercars until 2002, with the highlight of taking pole position for the 2000 Bathurst 1000. Wayne Gardner also took a surprise win in the first round in the V8 Supercar Championship's inaugural season in 1997, at Calder Park Raceway. It was surprising as Gardner had announced that a lack of available funds would likely cause him to not race the full 1997 season and he wasn't considered a race or championship favourite.
Gardner also made a foray into the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship, racing a works Toyota Supra, in 1996 and raced in this competition until his retirement from motorsport in 2002. He won a round of the championship in 1999 (at Fuji Speedway) and 2001 (at Sportsland SUGO). He also had the distinction in 2001 of being the only Toyota driver to finish every race that season, and he also finished every race in the points.
Gardner made a one-off appearance at the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans. Gardner was entered in the Riley & Scott with Philippe Gache and fellow ex-motorcycle rider Didier de Radiguès. They qualified 26th, but failed to finish due to engine problems after completing 155 laps.
Wayne Gardner donated his handprints in 1993 to assist endangered species and world peace causes with Davson's Artists For Life charity.
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