Motorsport: Richards pulls out of V8 enduro rounds

Jason Richards will be unable to compete in his 15th Bathurst. Photo / Supplied

New Zealand V8 Supercar driver Jason Richards has withdrawn from this year's endurance races due to his ongoing battle with cancer.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

"Although I'm feeling really good at the moment, I haven't solved my health problems," Richards said.

"I was hoping to have something by now to indicate we could win the battle with this cancer but, ultimately, it's not been the case. Every scan I've had has got worse and worse and I've not been able to put the brakes on it.

"I have periods where I feel really good and periods when I'm not so good and it's too hard to determine when they're going to be. I didn't want to let the team down.

"I think it would have been my 15th Bathurst and it's pretty disappointing not to be participating but that's what life dishes out."

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 for the Phillip Island 500 from September 16-18 and the Bathurst 1000 from October 6-9.

-AAP