Jamie Whincup drove for GRM in 2003. Image: Ross Gibb
Rogers passed away this week, aged 80, sending the Supercars community into mourning on the eve of the Surfers Paradise event.
The former driver and team boss is fondly remembered for his quirky humour and dress sense, which Whincup has leaned into with his own tribute.
“Gazza was a huge contributor to motorsport for a long time, he actually gave me my start,” said Whincup.
“So as a bit of recognition, I don’t normally wear pink shorts, it’s not normally my thing… but I’m trying to this weekend.”
Garry Rogers Motorsport competed in the Supercars championship from 1996-2019, giving numerous future stars their first shot in the category.
Among those was Whincup – although his story is an outlier in that he was sacked by the team following his rookie 2003 season.
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Whincup sat on the sidelines the following year before rebuilding his career and winning seven Supercars titles with Triple Eight.
Rogers reflected on his decision to sack Whincup during an interview with Neil Crompton in 2015.
“I get on really well with Jamie these days, I talk to him and there is no angst there at all,” Rogers said.
“The fact is he was just hopeless, not as a driver, but he just wouldn’t listen. I, perhaps, should have been a little more patient, but that isn’t one of my virtues.
“I should have sat him down, patted him on the head and told him what a good boy he was – but that’s not me. This is how you do it, and if you’re not prepared to do that you’re gone, next.
“I’m not dirty on it. I could have kept him, I’m the one who got rid of him. He could have easily stayed I could have been reaping those benefits.
“But the fact is I mucked it up.”
The Gold Coast 500 event paused for a minute’s silence in honour of Rogers ahead of Saturday’s opening 250km leg. All of the Supercars entries are carrying GRM stickers.
