Wayne Michael Gardner OAM (born 11 October 1959 (1959-10-11) (age51) in Wollongong, New South Wales) is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and touring car racer. His most notable achievement was winning the 1987 500cc Motorcycle World Championship, becoming the first Australian to win motorcycling's premier class.[1] His success on the world motorcycle racing circuit earned him the nickname The Wollongong Whiz.
Gardner began his racing career in 1977 at age 18, riding a second-hand Yamaha TZ250 bike in the Australian championship and finishing second on debut at Amaroo Park. He went on to record his first win a few weeks later at Oran Park Raceway.
He won his first 500 cc race at the Jarama circuit in Spain in 1986, the 500 cc World Championship in 1987 and the inaugural Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island in 1989.[1][2] For his entire Grand Prix career, Gardner raced for the Rothmans Honda team and was joined on that team by fellow Australian Michael Doohan in 1989.
Gardner also won four Suzuka 8 Hours races in 1985, 1986, 1991 and 1992.
Gardner retired from motorcycle racing following the 1992 season but stayed closely involved with the sport, helping various riders like Daryl Beattie early in their careers. He rode at special events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed on classic Honda motorcycles and raced again at the Goodwood race meeting against fellow bikers James Whitham, the late Barry Sheene and ex-Formula One driver Damon Hill.
Following his retirement from the 500cc 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 is also noted[by whom?] for winning the first round in the V8 Supercar Championship's inaugural season in 1997, at Calder Park Raceway.
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 2001.[9][10] 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.[11]
Wayne Gardner donated his handprints in 1993 to assist endangered species and world peace causes with Davson's Artists For Life charity.
Gardner
Wayne Michael Gardner OAM PROFILE
1959
born in Australia
1974
Australian Minibike championship; runner-up
1979
Castrol 6 Hour Production race; winner 750cc with John Pace
1981
Daytona; finished 4th
1982
world TT F1 championship, Honda 1000; 1 win (Portuguese)
British TT F1 championship
wins Castrol 6 Hour with Wayne Clarke
1983
wins British TT F1 championship
voted "Motorcycle Man of the Year" in UK
1984
500 cc GP debut with Honda(1984)
best finish 3rd at Swedish GP
finished 7th overall from 5 races out of 12 rounds
1985
joins factory Honda team
wins Suzuka 8 hour
4th overall on Honda V3 500cc
1986
runner-up with Honda V4 500cc
3 GP wins
wins Suzuka 8 hour
1987
wins 500cc world championship with Honda
7 wins (Spanish,Italian, Austrian, Yugoslav, Swedish, Czech, Brazilian GPs)
1988
4 wins
2nd overall
retires from motorcycle racing and moves to car racing
1991
wins Suzuka 8 hour
1992
wins Suzuka 8 hour
1993
starts 4 wheel racing career
Australian Touring Car Championship (V8 Supercar)
1994
team owner and driver - Gardner Holden team
Australian Touring Car Championship (V8 Supercar)
1998
All Japan GT championship with Toyota
2003
February: announce retirement from motorsport
source:www.motogp.com
www.en.wikipedia.org
http://www.bikerenews.com
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