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NEWS
UPDATED: Vale Andrew ‘Ajay' Johnson
As one of the biggest hard nuts in Australian road racing history, Ajay never shied away from an on-track brawl – in fact he thrived on itLegendary Australian road racing star Andrew Johnson has passed away.
Widely known under the ‘Ajay’ sobriquet, Johnson won 16 major titles during a decorated road racing career, a majority of that time spent with Team Honda alongside Tasmanian Malcolm Campbell.
Johnson, the father of 2002 Australian Supersport champion Shannon, was also a teammate of arch-rival Rob Phillis at Milledge Yamaha in 1979 when they campaigned TZ grand prix machines.
Some of the Superbike and production racing battles between Johnson, Campbell and the Suzuki-mounted Phillis in the early 1980s were fierce -- both on and off the track. In particular, Ajay was a juggernaut around Bathurst, seemingly devoid of fear and with an insatiable will to win.
Ajay was cut from a different cloth than most. When he attended Phillis’ wedding in 1983, the gift to his newly married nemesis was a few sticks of gelignite! Guess those weren't on the gift registry at Myer…
Johnson also won the 1980 Castrol 6 Hour alongside Wayne Gardner.
After he retired from road racing, Ajay managed Honda’s all-conquering junior motocross team for 15 years before calling it a day at the end of the 2008 season.
More recently, there were reports that Ajay was planning a comeback in the historic racing ranks, where he would have been reunited with Phillis and Campbell.
Alas, it didn’t happen, and he’s now departed, but certainly not forgotten. A true legend. RIP Ajay.
Funeral details are as follows:
Service
- Date: Friday, September 28, 2012
- Time: 11.45am
- Venue: The Boyd Chapel, Springvale Botanical Cemetery, 600 Princes Highway Springvale, Vic (opposite Sandown Raceway)
- Please no flowers; a donation to “Men’s Health Services” would be most appreciated. Envelopes will be available at the service
Wake
- Time: 1.00-4.30pm
- Venue: Sandown Park Hotel Function Room, corner Corrigan Road and Princes Hwy, Noble Park (over the road from service)
- Selected Meals available at $20 per person. Drinks at bar prices
- Afterwards, you are welcome to stay and move into the bar area for the long haul. Normally how all AJAY’s nights out ended.
- Please RSVP to give an idea of numbers for function room: shan@shannonjohnson.net or via facebook page Andrew AJAY Johnson Farewell -- http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/events/175227492601780/
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Written byBikesales Staff
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