James Golding switches to the Blanchard Racing Team in 2026. After claiming a Bathurst podium last year, can he claim both his and the team's first win?
James Golding will get behind the wheel of a Ford for the first time in his Supercars career in 2026, replacing James Courtney at the Blanchard Racing Team.
Golding joins off the back of a three and a half year tenure with PremiAir Racing, with his final year highlighted by crossing the line first at Bathurst, only to be demoted to third by a five-second penalty.
His Bathurst podium came after a brilliant 2024 campaign where he finished seventh overall, courtesy of a maiden pole in Darwin, and maiden podium at Sandown.
Golding got a Supercars lifeline courtesy of PremiAir midway through 2022 after the team parted ways with Garry Jacobson.
The Victorian previously raced full-time in Supercars in 2019 with Garry Rogers Motorsport. He was an unlucky victim of GRM's withdrawal from Supercars ahead of 2020, being left on the sidelines.
The former GRM mechanic had been a regular behind the wheel the previous two seasons.
He showed plenty of promise as a rookie in 2018, including taking a top 10 finish at Bathurst, where he also qualified 12th.
Golding entered Supercars after two years in the Dunlop Super2 Series and two PIRTEK Enduro Cups, all under the watchful eye of team owner Garry Rogers.
An accomplished karter, Golding has an Australia National title and two Victorian state titles to his name, and represented Australia at the World Rotax Grand Finals in 2012, where he was ranked seventh in the world.
Golding graduated to open-wheelers the following year, contesting the Victorian Formula Ford Championship and winning on debut.
Despite missing one round, Golding racked up the most race wins on his way to fourth in the points, before stepping up to the national championship and being narrowly beaten to the 2014 title.
Golding's talent soon caught the eye of Rogers, who gave him the chance to contest the final round of the 2014 Dunlop Super2 Series at Homebush.
He impressed on debut, so much so that GRM granted him a drive in the Dunlop Series in 2015 and again in ’16, setting his path to a full-time Supercars drive in motion.
He returned to the full-time fold in 2022 after two seasons as a Team 18 co-driver, and after a solid 2023, burst out of the blocks in 2024.