MOTORSPORT: Ingall to replace injured Courtney

Former Bathurst winner and V8 Supercars champion Russell Ingall has come out of retirement to replace the injured James Courtney at the Holden Racing Team for the Sandown 500.

And if Courtney doesn’t recover from his two broken ribs and collapsed lung in time, Ingall will also partner Jack Perkins in the #22 HRT Commodore VF in the Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama as well.

Ingall, 51, retired after at the end of 2014 after racing V8 Supercars full-time for 19 consecutive seasons, making him the logical replacement for Courtney, who was injured in a bizarre accident at Sydney Motorsport park one week ago when struck by an advertising hoarding dislodged by the wash of a low-flying Navy helicopter.

Ingall, known as ‘the Enforcer’ for his uncompromising driving style, has previous experience with Walkinshaw Racing, the parent of HRT, as he drove the Supercheap Auto Racing Commodore out of that stable in 2012 and 2013.

Jack Perkins was also Ingall’s co-driver in the SCAR Commodore in the 2011 endurance season, when the car was run out of Paul Morris Motorsport.

And of course, Ingall’s connection to the Perkins family goes back to Jack’s father Larry, for whom he drove full-time between 1996 and 2002, the two of them winning Bathurst together in 1995 and 1997.

Ingall won the championship for Stone Brothers Racing in a Ford Falcon in 2005.

Ingall, who has been commentating on V8 Supercars for Fox Sports this season, will test the car for the first time next Thursday at Winton.

He will also have a FOX crew embedded with him in the team garage at Sandown to provide an insider’s view of the action.

“I’ve been very happy and comfortable working with Fox Sports on its V8 coverage, but when the call came to help out a mate I didn’t hesitate,” Ingall said in a statement issued overnight by the team.

“Jack’s also a mate and while he’s disappointed not to be driving with James as planned, we’ve driven together in the past and he understands the need for an experienced replacement.

“I know the guys on the team, they know me well, so at least there’s some hope of getting a result.”

Ingall said driving for HRT would also be a special moment in his career.

“Racing a red Commodore for Holden’s factory team is at the top of every driver’s wish list, including mine, and I thought my chance had passed,” he said.

“To add my name to the list of the sport’s greats who have driven for HRT will be very special.

Courtney admitted it will be difficult watching from the sidelines, but knows his HRT Commodore is in good hands.

“It’s a tough situation – I’m not happy about missing the race, but if I have to then we need someone familiar with HRT and our cars, and Russell fits the bill,” Courtney said.

“He’s the logical choice because he’s a mate fresh from full-time driving. The team know him well and he and Jack have a lot of history together.”

Ingall’s test will be a small part of a busy week for V8 teams preparing for the two-driver Pirtek Enduro Cup, which includes Sandown, Bathurst and the Gold Coast 600 street race.

The dominant factory Ford team, Prodrive Racing Australia, tests at Winton on Monday along with Nissan Motorsport, Garry Rogers Motorsport (Volvo) and Brad Jones Racing.

Up in Queensland at Ipswich, Triple Eight will test new compound Dunlop tyres on behalf of the category and shake down Jamie Whincup’s brand new Commodore before having a full test on Tuesday along with all other Queensland teams bar DJR Team Penske, which used its one private test day earlier in the year.

On Thursday not only will Ingall be getting his first drive of the year, but so will international Sebastien Bourdais, who will drive the Team 18 Commodore with Lee Holdsworth. Briton Oliver Gavin, who shares with Nick Percat in the Repair Management Australia Holden, will test the following Monday.

Fellow internationals Alex Buncombe (Nissan) and Alex Premat (Volvo) will drive this Monday at Winton.