Richards’ Race Suits to be auctioned at Gold Coast Festival of Elegance
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Richards’ Race Suits to be auctioned at Gold Coast Festival of Elegance

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By Shannons - 08 October 2014

Australia’s most decorated active racing driver, Jim Richards, will open his wardrobe a week before this year’s Gold Coast 600 V8 Supercar race for the Shannons Memorabilia Auction at the inaugural Gold Coast ‘Festival of Elegance’ on Sunday October 19.

The eight-times Targa Tasmania, seven-times Bathurst, four times Australian Touring Car Champion and twice Touring Car Masters series-winner will offer two of his personal racing suits as a highlight of the auction that will be a concluding highlight of the Festival ‘Water, Wheels, Wings’ programme that runs from October 15-19.

One for Ford fans, is the blue suit he wore when he and Ford Tickford Racing team mate Dean Canto drove their AU Falcon into fourth place in the 2001 V8 Supercar 1000, while the other is the suit Richards’ used in the 2011-2012 Touring Car Master series while racing his Shannons Ford Falcon Sprint.

Jim Richards’ 2001 Ford Tickford Racing driving suit and Jim Richards in the 2011-2012 Touring Car Masters driving suit. Both will be auctioned by Shannons at the inaugural Gold Coast Festival of Elegance on October 19.

To make the occasion even more memorable, Richards will be on hand not only to congratulate the winning bidders on his racing suits, but also to sign autographs for fans attending Sunday’s Show and Shine event leading up to the auction.

The suits are amongst 40 special memorabilia lots in the Shannons auction that will be held from 4pm on the Festival’s final day at the Links Hope Island Golf Club.

Other lots will include rare framed automotive prints, several highly collectible ‘Michelin’ items, an eye-catching 90cm long model Ferrari Hydroplane, a range of enamel garage signs, petrol pumps, model cars, an Art Deco seaplane lamp and items of ‘Bluebird’ memorabilia.

All auction items will be available for viewing at the Links Golf Club on Saturday 18 from 12pm Midday-4pm, and Sunday 19 from 10am-4pm.

The Festival of Elegance programme also includes a ‘Concours of Elegance Tour’ leading up to the weekend, a major vehicle ‘Concourse Show and Shine’ at the Links Golf Course, a ‘Champion Car Club Display’, an Art Show and other displays, plus a sailing competitions at nearby Lake Oxenford and an Awards Dinner.

Shannons is staging a major memorabilia auction at the inaugural Gold Coast Festival of Elegance on October 19, with 40 lots include two of Jim Richards’ driving suits on offer.

The Festival of Elegance’ is the spiritual successor to the Gold Coast’s first ‘Concours d’Elegance’ staged 45 years ago in 1969 by the late Keith Williams and his wife Thea at the Chevron Hotel in Surfers Paradise in conjunction with Speed Week.

The final day of this years Festival– October 19 – marks the third anniversary of Keith Williams’ passing.