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THE JELD-WEN AUSTRALIA FAMILY

James Courtney

2008 marks the third year racing in the V8 Supercar Championship for JELD-WEN Motorsport’s James Courtney. His first two years have certainly seen him make an impression back in Australia after an enormously successful career in Britain, Europe and Japan excelling in almost every category of motor racing.

Most significantly, he was and remains only the third ever Australian to secure an official FIA World Championship in fine company alongside Formula One World Champions Sir Jack Brabham and Alan Jones.

Driven to make his mark back home the way he did overseas, season 2007 in V8’s saw James secure pole position in the opening round at Clipsal and go on to eight top ten race finishes including two second place podium finishes at Bathurst and Bahrain. After finishing the season in ninth place, the 2008 Supercar season sees James totally focussed on improving his 2007 results with more podium finishes.

If racing wasn’t hectic enough he also managed a spin in the top rating Dancing With The Stars program on the Seven Network in September and October whilst preparing for the arrival of his first baby with wife Carys.

Zara Eve made her arrival on January 24 just in time for James to jump back into the refreshed new JELD-WEN Motorsport BF Falcon in the opening round in Adelaide at the end of February. Team changes in the season break saw the field return more competitive than ever before and the start to the season has seen plenty of action and reaction after James’ car was written off at Clipsal in a spectacular collision with fellow Ford driver Craig Lowndes.

At just 28 years of age, James has had an extraordinarily successful career overseas before returning to Australia to race in the V8 Supercar Championship. Beginning at the age of seven in cadet kart events in Western Sydney, James was guided by his father Jim Courtney who also was an Australian Karting Champion. Showing a natural talent for the sport from the word go, James climbed through the karting ranks until 1994 when he was runner-up in the Australian Kart National Championship.

Building on his success, at the age of just 15 James travelled from his home in Penrith in Western Sydney to Italy to compete on the international karting circuit and was immediately rewarded with title wins in the FIA Junior World Kart Championship and the FIA CIK International Championship in 1995.

In 1996 James moved to Prevale in Italy and competed in the World Formula A Kart Championship, finishing fourth.

1997 was to be the year James would etch his name in the books of world Motorsport becoming the first Australian ever to win the FIA Formula A World Kart Championship.

In 1999, he moved to a factory drive with Van Deimen in the 1999 British Formula Ford Championship. He repaid Van Diemen's faith in his abilities in 2000, when he won the 2000 British Formula Ford Championship and the European Formula Ford Championship.

In 2001 James moved to the British Formula 3 category when he gained a place in the Jaguar Junior team. He finished fourth in the championship and also had his first Formula 1 test drive with the Jaguar F1 team at Monza.

In 2002, he was Jaguar's regular Formula 1 test driver in between his commitments with Carlin Motorsport in the British Formula 3 Championship. He had five race wins during the year and finished runner-up in the Championship.

2003 saw James move to Japan to compete in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship with Toyota. Success was immediate, with James taking the Championship in his first year. For the next two years, James raced in the Japan GT Championship, again with Toyota and placed second in the Japan GT Championship in 2005.

James and Carys have settled into a life on the Gold Coast at their first home after many years on the road that saw them living in Europe, the UK and Japan. James said becoming a first time parent has exceeded all of his expectations and given him more motivation to get up their on the podium more often for his two favourite girls. Between rounds, James and Carys enjoy an active lifestyle with both been keen wakeboarders and keeping up with their active border collies, Diva and Tojo.

In Australia, JELD-WEN has enjoyed a successful relationship with V8 Supercars for the past seven years as a sponsor for the previous champion Marcos Ambrose through their Australia operation the Stegbar Group. Marcos now lives in the US and is making his mark racing in the NASCAR series.

Impressed with James international career and recognising his potential JELD-WEN strengthened their involvement with V8 Supercars and Stone Brothers Racing by launching JELD-WEN Motorsport with James Courtney as driver for the number 4 BF Falcon in the 2006 V8 Supercar Series.

James Courtney on the grid of Dancing with the Stars

September 2007

While a motor racing suit will continue to be the uniform of choice for James, off the track he is showing off his footwork in the new series of the nationally successful Dancing With The Stars (DWTS) on the 7 network.

After a botched attempt at his bridal waltz, James’ wife Carys was keen for James to get some expert tuition.

“Dancing in front of more than 2 million people is a scary concept and yes I’m aware I could come out of this looking very bad. I’m already copping a lot of flak from my mates for this, so I’ve got to make sure I do alright because if I’m no good I’ll cop it even worse! So I’ve decided I don’t care what it takes, I’m training crazy hours - up to seven hours a day - just to get on top of it,” James said.

James is partnered with Olya Bourtasova who also made her debut in the series which started on 25th September.

“James is surprisingly ok and I’m impressed with his dedication to train so hard to get the steps right and the dances looking good. He has some tough competition in this series but I know James knows how to handle that mentally with his racing experience,” Olya said.

“I definitely didn’t give dancers enough credit before, that’s for sure. I probably didn’t really think of it as much of a sport as what it actually is and now I really know how physical it is,” James admits. “It’s so intense that I’ve had to learn how to walk again. In dancing you have to walk without putting your heel down first - it’s all super weird. And I’ve even found that after the lesson I’m walking home on my toes and people are looking at me like I’m an idiot.”

“I’m thrilled that James has chosen to support the RSPCA as I’m a Branch Committee Member for the Gold Coast and currently completing my training to be a vet nurse. The RSPCA tries to prevent cruelty to animals by actively promoting their care and protection with education for the community on the humane treatment of animals. James and I have two dogs, Diva and Tojo, and I think if they could vote, all eight paws would be on the phone,” said Carys.

“With DWTS filmed in Melbourne and the commitments with V8 racing, I think James’ fastest laptimes could well be in and out of our house between training, flights, racing, media and sponsor commitments. Olya is absolutely right that his toughest ask will be between week 2 and 3 with Bathurst in the middle so please everyone get behind him,” Carys said.

Listen to James talking with Karl and Adrian from Sports Central on Radio 6PR about Dancing With the Stars.
Latest interview
Earlier interview here

Quick Stats

Career achievements

• 2006 – Named Mike Kable Rookie of the Year
• 2005 – 2nd Japanese GT Championship
• 2003 – Japanese Formula 3 Champion
• 2002 – Jaguar Formula 1 Test Driver
• 2002 – 2nd British Formula 3 Championship
• 2000 – British Formula Ford Champion, European Formula Ford Champion
• 1997 – Fomula A World Kart Champion
• 1995 – Junior World Kart Champion

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• ‹‹ Previous Reports

Downloadable PDF
James Courtney Profile

Audio: James interview with Triple M Brisbane’s The Cage program on Friday 29th Feb.

Click on an image below for larger view.

More car images available in the gallery.