JAMES Courtney is a realist. He’s ready to admit his new two-year deal with the Blanchard Racing Team will probably be his last as a Supercars full-timer.
But Courtney’s impending move to BRT is no retirement tour. Far from it.
The 43-year-old remains motivated and competitive, the most recent example being his defiance of power steering woes to take sixth in this month’s Repco Bathurst 1000.
When rumours began to swirl around Tickford Racing moving from four cars to two next season, Courtney and BRT boss Tim Blanchard started talking.
SOLD! Tickford Gen3 Mustang heading to BRT
“I’ve known Tim for so long. He’s a good friend. We’ve always toyed with the idea (of joining forces),” Courtney explained to V8 Sleuth.
“It seems like a really good fit. I’m still wanting to race and still enjoying my racing and we’re still competitive and pushing on well.
“Where they want to take the team and grow it, they wanted a bit of experience, so I can deliver that.
“For me, it was a bit of a no-brainer, when everything was happening here (at Tickford) to go there with those guys. I’m excited.”
Importantly, Courtney has signed until the end of 2025, which will take him to two full decades in the sport.
“Everyone would like to see me gone already, I think!” he laughed.
“It’s a big part of the deal with these guys, was having that two years so there’s that consistency.
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“When you’re trying to attract engineers and mechanics and sponsors and all that stuff, you need some consistency over that period. Whereas if we did a one-year deal, six months into it you’re already trying to negotiate and it’s that drama again.
“So really with the foresight of building the team, the bigger picture, two years and we’ll go through that and I think that will be enough for the old man.”
With rookie Aaron Love installed as his teammate, BRT is primed to enjoy some much-needed continuity.
In the past 12-plus months, Tim Slade has departed, Todd Hazelwood will come and go, there’s been staffing turnover, the move to Gen3, the addition of a Super2 and wildcard program, and the efforts to expand for the 2024 main game.
BRT next year will welcome Raymond Lau, the guru who guided Thomas Randle to a hat-trick of Tailem Bend podiums, into its engineering fold.
MORE: Tickford engineering shake-up ahead of GC500
Having enjoyed an especially strong four-year bond with Cam Waters, in which time the Monster Energy star has established himself as one of Supercars’ very best steerers, Courtney can’t wait to mentor 21-year-old Love.
“He sounds a lot like me! A young guy that’s super enthusiastic and really quick but sometimes makes the wrong decisions,” Courtney smiled.
“I’ve been down that path, so I’ll try to help with that. It’s easier to slow someone down than speed them up.
“I’m not going to teach Aaron what he does, he knows what he’s doing, but any sort of things that I can help along the way with, I definitely will be.
“He seems super eager to learn, he knows that we’re not directly competing against each other.
“I think the age distance helps: if it was two young guys it’s drama because they’re both sort of fighting for the same audience within the team, but with us the way it is, I think it’s a good formula.
“It has worked well here (at Tickford), Cam has come on so strong, Thomas is really kicking goals this year.”
Courtney holds 13th in the championship leading into the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 having accumulated nine top 10 results this year, including a Perth podium.
