Popular V8 veteran James Courtney has options to stay in Supercars next year.
The 2010 champion is on the market because Tickford Racing is expected to cut back to two cars.
Courtney admits that he doesn’t have a deal for 2024, but remains confident he’ll be on the grid for a 19th consecutive season.
“I’m not hiding anything, I don’t know what’s going on as yet,” he told the Speedcafe Newscast. “Still working on something. I definitely want to still be here.”
The feisty 43-year-old, who recovered from a heavy practice crash to score two strong eighths and an 11th at The Bend SuperSprint in his Snowy River Racing Mustang, is convinced he can be competitive for at least another year.
“I’m [still] there,” Courtney declared. “I’m not sort of out the back end getting blown away by all the young guys. So I think I’ve still got a lot to give.
“I want to keep going, for sure.”
Courtney has been linked to moves to Blanchard Racing Team, replacing Todd Hazelwood, and Matt Stone Racing to take over from Erebus-bound Jack Le Brocq.
He is now the front-runner to join MSR, adding experience and proven speed to a partnership with emerging star Cameron Hill.
Pressed on his future in Supercars, Courtney added: “I’m not too concerned. I think we’ll be here whichever way it ends up going.
“The nice thing is that I think people can still see my passion for racing and my love it.
“I still have something to give. There’s still interest, so I should be right.”
Courtney is one of Supercars highest profile drivers because of his cheeky personality and youthful approach.
He gained national notoriety by performing on the hit TV series Dancing With The Stars in 2007 and remains one of Supercars’ most colourful characters.
A former world karting champion, Courtney returned to Australia in 2006 after almost reaching Formula 1.
He replaced Marcos Ambrose at Stone Brothers Racing before switching to Dick Johnson Racing, winning the 2010 title dramatically amid the team’s ownership turmoil.
Famously, Courtney defected to Holden Racing Team amid a furtive $1 million a year deal orchestrated by his longtime manager, expat Aussie BTCC boss Alan Gow.
He won races at HRT, but never contended for the crown again as the Holden factory squad declined.
He was thrown a lifeline by Tickford Racing, where he has arguably been the four-car squad’s best performer behind team leader Cam Waters.
Courtney’s innate talent has never been in doubt, but apart from DJR, his team choices until Tickford – which he had been close to joining a decade earlier – have been dubious and not yielded the results commensurate with his ability.
Despite his chequered results, he endures as one of Supercars’ most popular and best-known drivers because of his outgoing personality.
Courtney is the oldest full-time driver, but he doesn’t see his age as a barrier while he is still fast.
“I’ll be the first one to put up my hand when I’m not competitive enough and when I’m embarrassing myself,” he said.
“I’m not at that point yet. So while I still have some fight and some performance, I’ll keep going.”
He also joked that with a second young family to support, he has to keep racing.
“I need to put food in their mouths,” he quipped. “And, unfortunately, I put all my eggs in the racing basket. So once that’s over, who knows what I’m going to be doing?
“So I gotta keep pressing on. My life is racing, you know, outside of kids and family. I’m just 100 per cent hardarse.
“Nothing’s gonna touch that sort of adrenaline when the lights go out and you’re banging doors with the other bloke.
“So I’ll keep fighting and keep doing that until that passion dies.”
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