For Phillip Taylor, motorsport has always been about precision and prevention. As a lifelong Supercars enthusiast and former motorsport steward, he learned early that every engine is tested after a race, not because something is wrong, but to ensure it can keep performing at its best.
Mr Taylor, 81, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2005, after what seemed like a completely unrelated issue.
Back pain following a trip away, combined with urinary symptoms he'd joked about for months, eventually led his GP to refer him to a urologist. During treatment for a blockage, cancer was unexpectedly discovered.
"I felt fine. No major pain. No warning signs that screamed cancer," Mr Taylor recalls.
"That's the scary part.
"Treatment followed: hormone therapy, radiation, and ongoing monitoring, but today, at 81, Mr Taylor is still active, positive, and deeply engaged with life. He exercises regularly, rides a stationary bike, keeps his balance sharp with physio exercises, and stays involved with motorsport through radio-controlled sprint car racing and technical reading.
Mr Taylor said motorsport gave him resilience.
"When things go wrong in racing, you adapt. You don't give up. You adjust and keep moving."
Mr Taylor now uses his love of Supercars to help spread a message that could save lives.
Prostate cancer is Australia's most commonly diagnosed cancer, and it's set to affect nearly 29,000 men this year.
With one in five Australian men expected to be diagnosed in their lifetime, the message behind this campaign is simple: Getting checked saves lives.
"That's why getting checked matters," Mr Taylor said.
"You don't wait until the engine blows."
Through PCFA's Supercars partnership and Virtual Car campaign, Phil is proud to be part of a movement encouraging men to take control of their health - and to talk openly about prostate cancer.
"I thought it was the end of the world when I was diagnosed," he said.
But it wasn't. Life goes on, and it can still be a good one." That simple idea now underpins one of Phil's strongest messages.
"A race engine is always tested after the race so it can go on further," Mr Taylor added.
"A bloke should get a PSA test so he can go on further in life."
This year, Bathurst is about more than racing. Through our Virtual Car campaign, fans can help fund vital prostate cancer research, awareness and support services.
Visit our new Virtual Car website to add your name, share your personalised car with family and friends on socials, and help drive Australia closer to zero deaths from prostate cancer.
Donate and join the movement here: pcfa.org.au/bathurst12hr.
