Championship leader James Courtney, pictured at the Surfers Paradise street circuit last year, has Warren Luff on board as his co-driver in the #18 Jim Beam Falcon at the Armor All Gold Coast 600.
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By Briar Gunther 8:37 AM Tue 19 October, 2010
Source: BigPond Sport
Jim Beam Racing has elected to keep Warren Luff as Championship leader James Courtney’s co-driver for this weekend’s Armor All Gold Coast 600.
Steve Johnson, who drives the #17 Jim Beam Falcon, will co-drive with the team’s international steerer for the event, Dario Franchitti.
Franchitti has just won his second consecutive IZOD IndyCar Championship and is also a good friend of Courtney’s.
“We’ve got a bit of history and it would have been cool for that opportunity to race together, but in the end the team has decided to go the other way,” Courtney explained.
“I’ll be there on the test day and help him out as much as I can.”
While Courtney would have liked to pair up with his Scottish buddy, there are no complaints the team has paired him with Luff, who the team believes provides the best chance of keeping Courtney’s Championship lead intact.
“I suppose that’s the way the team’s looked at it and made the decision the way it has,” JC said.
“Luffy’s done an outstanding job at the last two events so he’s more than capable of doing the job and I think we’re in with a good shot… he’s more than capable of what we need him to do.”
Courtney said he’d understand if his 2010 endurance driver sought out a regular drive next year but “for sure I’d be upset”.
“He’s a big part of us and to be honest to get the result (fifth) at Bathurst was just as much him as it was me because he made up a lot (of time) in his stints,” the #18 Jim Beam Falcon driver said.
“Being the selfish person that I am I’d rather he be my teammate.”
While other co-drivers made obvious errors at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, Courtney had an answer as to why Luff put in a faultless performance.
“He’s comfortable in whom he is and he’s been in the game a long time,” Courtney said.
“The team knows what a professional he is and I’ll agree he should have a full-time role. That’s exactly why he’s good.
“He knows how to push it and when not to, because even if you are the best driver, if you can’t bring the car back in the same condition you got, it is a waste of time; he’s worth his weight in gold like that.”
The lead up to the Armor All Gold Coast 600 has left Courtney feeling excited.
“You can feel the atmosphere already and I can’t wait to go there,” he said.
“We were on the podium there last year so it would be good to reward Luffy with a couple of wins. We will put our heads down and try to get a result out of it.”
