Perkins joins BRT as enduro co-driver

Jack Perkins will contest the 2024 Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000 as James Courtney’s co-driver at the Blanchard Racing Team.

Perkins announced his departure from Erebus Motorsport earlier this week and was subsequently spotted driving a BRT Mustang during an Evaluation Day at Winton.

He will reunite with Courtney in the #7 Snowy River Caravans-backed Mustang, after they drove together at the Holden Racing Team/Walkinshaw Andretti United for five years, winning on the Gold Coast in 2015 and finishing on the podium at Mount Panorama in 2019.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Blanchard Racing Team and my mate James Courtney in the Snowy River Mustang for the 2024 Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000,” said Perkins.

“I’ve been friends with Tim Blanchard and the Blanchard Family since we were both kids racing go-karts together.

“I really like what Tim and John [Blanchard] are putting together with BRT; their expansion to two cars and commitment to Supercars Racing is excellent and I’m hoping to make a small contribution to help drive the family owned team to the front of the grid and onto the podium at the endurance races.

“JC and I have been team-mates before, for five years with great success, winning on the Gold Coast together and standing on the podium at Bathurst with third place back in 2019.

“We remain close friends and would love nothing more than another podium together and to do it with BRT would be very special.”

Co-Principal Tim Blanchard added, “We are excited to have Jack join us alongside James for the 2024 enduro campaign, as we continue to build Blanchard Racing Team.

“He has a wealth of knowledge that we believe will contribute to helping us push the team forward.”

BRT expands to two cars on a full-time basis in 2024, after being a single-car outfit for most of its existence thus far.

It also fielded a wildcard at this year’s enduros, in which Aaron Love made his debut in the top flight.

He will drive its #3 CoolDrive Mustang throughout next year, although there is no word yet on who will join the West Australian for Sandown and the Great Race.

In something of a swap, the now former #3 Mustang pilot, Todd Hazelwood, is expected to land at Erebus as co-driver for Jack Le Brocq in Car #9, the entry which Perkins was part of in this year’s enduros.

Meanwhile, Kate Harrington has moved across from Tickford Racing’s Super2 programme to serve as Team Manager at BRT.

It will start pre-season testing on February 7 at Winton, the designated test day for all of the southern-based teams.