A true gentleman of motorsport, John Rowe’s passion for racing left its mark on every circuit he touched. From the Westmead track in the early 1960s with his Dart Peugeot, to the Bosch 500 win in 1973, John lived for the thrill of competition and the camaraderie it brought.
John did an awful lot of endurance racing, competing at iconic venues such as Kyalami, Bulawayo, Goldfields, Lorenzo Marques, Roy Hesketh, Killarney, and East London. To give you an idea of just how active he was, his name is mentioned at least 35 times between 1961 and 1978 in Greg Mills’ book Sunshine Series. That is the footprint of a man who raced hard and often.
He was never defined by one machine. From GSM Darts to Chevrons, from a Mazda RX2 to the mighty “Li’l Chev” CanAm, John proved his versatility time and again. His name sits proudly among legends of the 9 Hour and countless other events.
But perhaps just as lasting as his results on track are the cars he built with his own hands. The JRE off-road racers, born from his engineering spirit, still run today as a living tribute to his love for motorsport. John Rowe was more than a driver. He was an innovator, a teammate, and a friend to many in our community. His legacy will forever be part of South African motorsport history.
