7 Sep 2011

Richards withdraws from V8 endurance races

5:54 am on 7 September 2011

The New Zealand V8 Supercar driver Jason Richards has withdrawn from this year's endurance races due to his ongoing battle with cancer.

Richards was expected to drive at the Phillip Island 500 this month and next month's Bathurst 1000 with Holden's Jason Bright but says his health won't allow him to fulfil those commitments.

The 35-year-old was diagnosed with Adrenocortical Carcinoma - a rare and aggressive form of cancer - last November, towards the end of his second year with Brad Jones Racing.

Richards says while he's feeling really good at the moment, he hasn't solved his health problems.

He says every scan he's had has got worse and worse and he's been unable to put the brakes on it.

Richards is a three-time runner-up at Bathurst having finished second in 2005 with Jamie Whincup, 2008 with Greg Murphy and in 2009 with Cameron McConville.

His spot will be taken by Andrew Jones.