Courtney opens up on post-racing future
James Courtney champion not set on co-driving, eyes future in media
2010 champion to retire from full-time Supercars racing at season's end
Courtney commenced real estate career midway through 2024
Retiring Supercars star James Courtney is keeping cool on a shift to co-driving after 2025, with the 2010 champion to pursue a stint in the media.
The 2010 Supercars champion will retire from full-time racing at the end of the season, bringing an end to a 20-year unbroken run in the main game.
Courtney, 45, already has one eye on life after racing, taking up a real estate career on the Gold Coast. However, the Blanchard Racing Team drive remains passionate about the sport, and is keen stay involved.
“It’s the only thing I’ve ever done,” Courtney said on the latest Drivers Only episode.
“Since I was eight years old, racing karts, I’ve only ever done this. I don’t think I could walk away from it, cold turkey, that would kill me.
“I’d love to do something in the media, the telecast, that way you’re still involved.”
Courtney began in Supercars as a 25-year-old co-driver for the Holden Racing Team in 2005, before being tasked with replacing Marcos Ambrose at Stone Brothers Racing.
A move to Dick Johnson Racing netted a stunning championship victory in 2010, before he returned to HRT for a nine-year stint in Walkinshaw Commodores.
After a short-lived run at Team Sydney, Courtney raced for Tickford between 2020 and 2023, before joining BRT last season.
It hasn’t all been roses, Courtney labelling Taupō his “worst ever” round, before taking the Ford squad into the top 10 at the last round in Tasmania.
Having had a taste of the co-driver game, Courtney wasn’t completely sold on the idea, nor does he have anything locked in for 2026.
“The whole enduro side of things, it’s interesting. You sort of start your career that way, you roll in, you’re the shit-kicker,” Courtney explained.
“And then you become the main guy, and have your own lacky, and then you go back, and be the lacky again…
“I think I’ve had a long enough career, I’ve had a good run at it. I’ll enjoy these sweet moments when I get to beat the young guys every now and then, and fade off into the distance.
“If I could tee it in with some media stuff, that’d be cool but nothing 100% done yet."
The new Drivers Only episode is out now via Supercars’ channels and the Listnr platform.
