BLOG: Driver Focus: Pirelli World Challenge Racer, Jeff Courtney

Our very own USA correspondent, Ashley Van Dyke (pictured below) gives us an insight into Audi R8 LMS driver, Jeff Courtney, racing this year in the thrilling Pirelli World Challenge. 

Jeff Courtney entered the road racing scene at a fast pace by first enrolling in the Panoz Racing School in 2003, immediately entering into their amateur series, and winning the 2005 Panoz Winter Series Championship with multiple podium standings and two race wins. Simultaneously, Jeff was also competing in the SCCA Club division and SCCA Pro-Mazda series. Now, having had several wins under is belt, Courtney was ready for bigger and better competition.

In 2006 Courtney signed up for Touring Car and joined the Pirelli World Challenge Series, competing in an AWD Audi with STaSIS Motorsports. He was awarded Rookie of the Year honors after a very successful season where he posted four top 10 finishes, one top-five finish, and one top 10 start. The following year proved to be even more successful with the entry into World Challenge GT series. Courtney joined Woodhouse Performance in the No. 99 KendaTires/ProMPI Dodge Viper Competition Coup. It was with the No. 99 Dodge Viper that earned him four top-10 finishes, the Hard Charger Award at the Long beach Grand Prix, and was the top placing Viper in the overall championship.
Beginning in 2012, Courtney’s JCR Motorsports teamed with TruSpeed Motorsports to campaign the #99 Kenda/RecStuff.com Porsche 911 GT3. He finished the season in Sonoma showing strong 10 ten finishes throughout the year but also dealing with an onslaught of mechanical setbacks.
Now, fast forward to the 2013 season where Kenda and RecStuff.com are returning to support Courtney along with STaSIS, JG Wheels, Speed Seat Factory, Oakley and GoPro. In a last minute off-season decision, JCR Motorsports decided to switch brands from the Porsche 911 GT3 to the Audi R8 LMS and a significant amount of effort was put into preparing the car for the season opener in St. Petersburg. The Streets of St. Petersburg double-header allowed the team to get the kinks in order to prepare themselves for being competitive in the new car. Jeff Courtney could not be more enthusiastic to continue the 2013 Pirelli World Challenge Championship series and see how far the Kenda/RecStuff.com Audi R8 LMS can go with JCR Motorsports driver Jeff Courtney behind the wheel. More information on Jeff and JCR Motorsports can be found at www.jeffcourtneyracing.com and @JeffCourtney99 on Twitter.