James gets used to life as a veteran

JAMES Courtney admits it’s a “bizarre” feeling to be the elder statesman on the Supercars grid.

There’s a noticeably young trend to the 24-strong driver field this year, with no one in their 40s and more than half in their 20s.

The shock reshuffle at Garry Rogers Motorsport that last month forced veteran Garth Tander out of a full-time role had the flow-on effect of instating Courtney, 38, as the oldest driver in the series.

“I suppose time catches up with you,” Courtney smiled.

“It’s a bizarre feeling. I don’t feel any different to what I did when I was 18 but I’m sure my

Dad who is 65 says the same thing.

“I have still got plenty of years hopefully but it is a weird feeling.”

Courtney burst onto the scene as Supercars’ next big thing in 2006 and won the championship four years later.

Entering his ninth season with the Holden team now known as Walkinshaw Andretti United, Courtney is offcontract at the end of the year but is not planning on going anywhere. “I love it … hopefully we can come to an agreement and hopefully the team want me back,” he said.

“We haven’t even started talking at all yet.”

Although the Gold Coaster finished 14th overall in 2018 – a year that he labelled “quite challenging off-track” as he and wife Carys split – Walkinshaw showed promising signs that have Courtney optimistic about the upcoming campaign.

“I suppose as you go on and you become more and more experienced within the championship you become more and more realistic about your expectations,” he said.

“But this year, definitely we do feel that we have a much stronger package … we’re starting this year a lot closer to the Triple Eight and Penske guys than what it has been previously.” The season begins at the Adelaide 500 on February 28 to March 3.