Peter Janson


"Captain" Peter Janson is an Australian socialite and former motor racing driver.
Janson was born in New Zealand, emigrating to England at a young age. In 1967, he moved to Australia and settled in Melbourne.
Janson, who listed his occupation as "Gentleman", established a playboy penthouse in the Federal Hotel before moving to the Hotel Windsor. In the 1980s he moved to Rutherglen House. Janson is renowned for the parties he throws, and was a pioneer in transforming the Melbourne Cup into a major event on the Australian social calendar.

Motor racing

Janson was a competitor in Australian Touring Car Racing. He made 19 Bathurst 1000 starts between 1973 and 1992 primarily in Holden Toranas and Commodores, finishing second in 1979 and 1980 and third in 1977. With the end of the Group C era in 1984, Janson closed his team but continued to drive for other teams including joining Sydney based privateer Garry Wilmington in a V12 Jaguar XJS in the 1985 and 1986 races. He later scored a class win and fourth outright driving a BMW M3 with fellow Kiwi Trevor Crowe at the 1988 Bathurst 1000. Janson's last appearance at Bathurst was in 1992 where he and Bob Jones finished 20th in a Holden VL Commodore SS Group A SV.
Always a colourful character who gave his sponsors a plug at every opportunity, especially when being interviewed in the pits, Janson briefly changed his name by deed poll in the mid-1970s to NGK Janson to circumvent a rule that only allowed a driver's name to be carried above the window line. His former co-driver Larry Perkins also told that one year on a parade lap at Bathurst, Janson continually pulled the car off onto the grass in order to throw Cherry Ripe chocolate bars out to the crowd.

Career Results

Results sourced from Driver Database.
SeasonSeriesPositionCarTeam
1976Australian Touring Car Championship14thHolden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34Peter Janson
1977Australian Touring Car Championship11thHolden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34
Holden LX Torana SS A9X Hatchback
Captain Peter Janson
1978Australian Touring Car Championship30thHolden LX Torana SS A9X HatchbackCadbury - Schweppes
1979Australian Touring Car Championship16thHolden LX Torana SS A9X HatchbackCadbury Schweppes Racing
1980Australian Touring Car Championship30thHolden LX Torana SS A9X HatchbackCadbury Schweppes Racing
1981Australian Touring Car Championship6thHolden VC CommodoreCadbury Schweppes Racing
1982Australian Touring Car Championship27thHolden VC CommodoreCadbury Schweppes Racing
1982Australian Endurance Championship48thHolden VH Commodore SSCadbury Schweppes Racing
1983Australian Endurance ChampionshipNCHolden VH Commodore SSCadbury Schweppes Racing
1984Australian Endurance ChampionshipNCHolden VH Commodore SSCadbury Schweppes Racing
1984World Sportscar ChampionshipNCPorsche Kremer CK5Porsche Kremer Racing
1985Australian Endurance Championship69thJaguar XJSGarry Willmington
1986Australian Endurance ChampionshipNCJaguar XJSGarry Willmington
1987World Touring Car ChampionshipNCHolden VK Commodore SS Group APetro-Tech
1988Asia-Pacific Touring Car Championship9thBMW M3John Sax
1990Australian Endurance ChampionshipNCHolden VL Commodore SS Group A SVLusty Engineering
1991Australian Endurance ChampionshipNCHolden VL Commodore SS Group A SVPeter Janson

Complete World Sportscar Championship results

YearTeamCar1234567891011DCPoints
1984 Porsche Kremer RacingPorsche Kremer CK5MNZSILLMSNURBRAMOSSPAIMOFJIKYLSAN
13
NC0

Complete Australian Touring Car Championship results

YearTeamCar1234567891011DCPoints
1976 Captain Peter JansonHolden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34SYM
5
CALORA
10
SANAMAAIR
10
LAKSANAIRSURPHI
3
14th10
1977 IpecHolden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34
Holden LX Torana SS A9X Hatchback
SYMCAL
Ret
ORA
10
AMASANAIRLAKSAN
Ret
AIR
5
SURPHI
2
11th13
1978 Cadbury - SchweppesHolden LX Torana SS A9X HatchbackSYMORAAMASANWANCAL
5
LAKAIR30th2
1979 Cadbury Schweppes RacingHolden LX Torana SS A9X HatchbackSYMCAL
4
ORASANWANSUR
6
LAKAIR16th5
1980 Cadbury Schweppes RacingHolden LX Torana SS A9X HatchbackSYMCALLAKSAN
5
WANSURAIRORA30th2
1981 Cadbury Schweppes RacingHolden VC CommodoreSYM
4
CAL
5
LAK
5
SAN
3
WANAIR
4
SUR
3
ORA6th24
1982 Cadbury Schweppes RacingHolden VC CommodoreSANCAL
4
SYMORA
Ret
LAKWANAIRSUR27th5

Complete World Touring Car Championship results

YearTeamCar1234567891011DCPoints
1987 Petro-TechHolden VK Commodore SS Group AMNZJARDIJNURSPABNOSILBAT
ovr:18
cls:12
CLDWELFJINC0

Not eligible for series points

Complete Bathurst 1000 results