The legacy of Dick Johnson's iconic #17 car continues to stir excitement and speculation among motorsport fans. With only a few days remaining, the racing world eagerly awaits the official announcement of who will take over the stewardship of this legendary number. The upcoming public launch event by DJR scheduled for Sunday, February 1, will unveil the team's plans for their race numbers and liveries, with particular focus on what will happen to the #17. This topic has become one of the hottest debates among enthusiasts, partly due to recent team changes.
Following the departure of seasoned driver Will Davison, who had been a familiar face in the #17 for years, attention now turns to potential new drivers. Rylan Gray, the reigning 2025 Super2 champion, is strongly linked to inheriting the #17. Alternatively, there’s talk of Brodie Kostecki, who last year raced under the #38, making a switch to this historically significant number. The team remains tight-lipped about their decision, leaving fans and analysts to speculate.
To better understand the importance and history of the #17, V8 Sleuth revisited the championship history of this number since DJR’s very first race at Symmons Plains in 1981. Over the years, a total of eleven primary drivers have competed with the #17, and either Gray or Kostecki could soon become the twelfth.
In listing the drivers, it’s important to note that when two drivers shared the car during endurance events, the primary driver for the full season is counted as the main occupant of #17. An interesting anomaly occurred in 2008, when Steven Johnson stepped into Will Davison’s car for events at Phillip Island and Bathurst, while other endurance drivers, Steve Owen and Warren Luff, paired up in the #17 car during that season.
Another notable detail is the digit swaps that occurred during the 2012 and 2013 Bathurst 1000 races. Drivers such as James Moffat and Tim Blanchard temporarily switched their car numbers with others for specific liveries, adding some complexity to tracking primary drivers' history.
Looking at the list of primary drivers who have raced the #17 in the ATCC/Supercars Championship, the lineage spans multiple decades. Steven Johnson has competed in 388 championship races from 1999 to 2012, making him the most prominent figure associated with the number. Dick Johnson himself raced in 290 races from 1981 until 1999. Other notable drivers include Will Davison, with 151 races from 2021 to 2025, Scott McLaughlin with 114 between 2017 and 2020, and Scott Pye with 63 across 2015-2016. Less recent but still significant are drivers like Tim Blanchard, David Wall, Marcos Ambrose, Steve Owen, James Moffat, and Chaz Mostert, each contributing to the rich history of the #17.
And here’s where it gets controversial—whether the next driver to don the #17 will uphold its proud heritage or whether a new chapter begins with a fresh perspective. Do you believe this number is more than just a digit? Will it continue to symbolize greatness, or is it time for a change? Share your thoughts below—are you team Gray, team Kostecki, or do you have another favorite? The debate is open, and the future of Dick Johnson Racing’s #17 is about to be written.
