Paul Radisich
A tenacious New Zealand driver who conquered the brutal Bathurst 1000 twice and became a touring car icon in Europe and Australia.
Born 1962 (age 64)·New Zealand racing driver·Birthday: October 9·Baby Boomers
Biography
Paul Radisich, 'The Rat', was a driver defined by his aggressive, never-say-die attitude behind the wheel. Of Croatian descent, he cut his teeth in New Zealand single-seaters before finding his true calling in tin-top racing. He became a giant in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) in the 1990s, known for spectacular, door-banging drives in the advanced Ford Mondeo. His mastery of mountain circuits was proven with two legendary victories in Australia's grueling Bathurst 1000. Radisich's career was a bridge between European touring car sophistication and the raw power of Australian V8 Supercars, making him a respected and formidable competitor on two continents.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Paul was born in 1962, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Paul Was Born
The biggest hits of 1962
#1 Movie
Lawrence of Arabia
Best Picture
Lawrence of Arabia
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Paul's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1962Born
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1967Started school
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1975Became a teenager
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Could drive
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1980Could vote
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Turned 21
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1992Turned 30
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 40
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 50
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 60
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 64 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the prestigious Bathurst 1000 race in Australia twice (1991 and 1999).
- Finished as runner-up in the British Touring Car Championship in 1994.
- Won the Wellington 500 street race in New Zealand five times.
- Competed for New Zealand in the Nations Cup element of the Race of Champions.
Did You Know?
His nickname, 'The Rat', was given for his tenacious and relentless driving style.
He survived a horrific crash at the 1994 Bathurst 1000 where his car was destroyed after a high-speed impact.
He is a successful businessman, involved in automotive parts and property development in New Zealand.
“In touring cars, you race hard every lap; the bumper is a tool.”
