Courtney cause for optimism
AT last, things are looking up for James Courtney and his Walkinshaw team.
The former Supercars champion has almost routinely appeared frustrated as year after year the limitations of his No.22 Holden have kept him mired in the back half of the grid.
Since jumping ship to the high-profile squad for his title defence in 2011, Courtney has been unable to return to frequent frontrunner status.
The current campaign has been the most painful by far as he has at times even struggled to run inside the top 20. But a combination of promising pace at Bathurst, the happy hunting ground that is Surfers Paradise and the team’s suddenly optimistic future has Courtney up and about.
At Mount Panorama, he qualified inside the top 10 for the first time since April. Courtney was right in contention until crashing late.
During their visit to The Mountain, the team announced they would next year be known as Walkinshaw Andretti United in a partnership of the heavyweights that is hoped to mirror the stunning effect Roger Penske has had on Dick Johnson Racing.
Coming onboard is American giant Andretti Autosport as well as British group United Autosports, the latter owned by McLaren executive Zak Brown.
“Still a long way to go but there is a good buzz about the place after the announcement of how the team is going to be changing,” Courtney said.
“It is two massive brands ... McLaren and Andretti.
“If we can use Zak’s commercial brain that he has been very successful with and the technical support from his team from the European side of things and the American side of things with Andretti, it’s great.”