Lives: Berwick, VIC

Partner to: Simone, and father of three boys Troy, Corey and Ryan

Occupation: Managing Director of the family business, Natures Organics. Team principal of Activ Rallysport

Justin Dowel made his rally debut in 1995 at the Rivertown trial (Victorian Club series) in a Datsun 1600. He remembers getting penalised for not recording a passage control as he didn't even know what one was. Luckily this did nothing to quash his enthusiasm and he has come a long way since then.

Justin describes himself as a man that loves a challenge and enjoys conquering anything someone says he cannot achieve. Justin's drive to succeed in rallying stems from confronting criticism he received in 2003 from his rally mentor in regards to his driving performance that day – it was this simple comment and a determination not to be beaten that drove him to be the competitive driver he is today.

Justin demonstrated he can live up to his ambition to prove critics wrong when he went on to win the 2005, 2006 and 2007 Victorian Rally Championships.

In his fist round of the ARC outside of Victoria, the Quit Forest Rally 2008, Justin secured third outright, a result which surprised even the team. It is now his favourite rally on the ARC calendar.

In 2008's first full ARC season, Justin and his team continued to focus on learning the roads and processes involved in the nations top level of rallying. This approach netted a P5 clas championship win, and 7th outright in the Australian Rally Championship.

Australian Rally Championship Debut:
Full time in 2008, however he had competed in Rally of Melbourne previously.

Championship Titles:
2008: 1st P5 class Australian Rally Championship

2005, 2006, 2007: 1st Victorian Rally Championship
2003: 1st P6 class Victorian Rally Championship

2004: 3rd outright in the Victorian Rally Championship

Most memorable rally moment:
Winning the Bega rally in 2004 as no one especially the team expected it.

Life Motto:
No one is here to judge you so do whatever you want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone.

Something you dislike:
Flat Tyres

Something most people don't know about you:

I get very nervous speaking in front of people including my staff.

What would you be doing if you weren't driving cars:

Getting the crap kicked out of me Kickboxing.

First Job:

Salesman at Warehouse Sales

Favourite Movie:

Blood Sport

Best Advice Ever given and by who:

People focus so much on so little yet so little on so much. In other words don't let the small things in life get you down. I met a one legged Indian man in a Mc Donalds car park in Perth, I offered to buy him lunch and he gave one of the most profound stories in my life.

Can't live without:

Love

Fridge usually contains:

Food

Greatest Fear:

Don't have any, we have nothing to fear and everything to gain you just need courage and fear gives it to you. What you fear you run into you can't escape it so why try. Fear is fun when you learn to control it.

If I had one wish:

To be good enough to beat Simon Evans in a rally and actually do it, but I would settle for living a rewarding life full of love and happiness.

I would like more:

Lovin

First road car:

Ford XB Panel VAN

Dream car:

Aston Martin DB9

Smartest thing I ever did:

Opened my mind in order to understand and see why we are here and the point of life.

I would never eat:

Tripe

Five people I would invite for dinner:

Kerry Packer, Al Gore, John Hewson, Donald Trump and Jeff Kennett.

Superstitions:

There are none only what we manifest in our own stuffed up heads. But I used to wear my lucky pair of Elf racing socks in every rally no matter what.

I relax by:

Training in the gym and playing guitar

My most treasured material possession:

68 Dodge Charger

Greatest non motor sport achievement:

Winning my first Kickboxing fight

Music in my car right now:

Metallica

Most famous person I've ever met:

Jeff Kennett

Biggest regret:

No Regrets everything happens for a reason

I am proud of:

Being successful in business and maintaining my morals and ethics

Really need to:

Lose some more weight.

Teenage years were:

A nightmare for my parents

Person I'd most like to meet:

Al Gore

Success is:

When you meet your own expectations

Most embarrassing moment off-track:

Crashing and rolling my car on a transport in the Strezlecki stages

Worst habit:

Comfort eating

Dumbest thing I've ever done:

Stabbed a glass bottle into a wall when I was about 12 and cut half my thumb off, man that was dumb

Racing heroes:

Jim Richards, Colin McRae, Tommi Makinen and of course Sebastian Loeb

What motivates you:

Sense of achievement and proving to myself that I can do anything

Culinary specialty:

Simone's beef schnitzels they are to die for