Hi everyone. I hope you're enjoying the 2010 V8 Supercar season as much as me - it's been a blast so far and third in the championship after
three events is a great start. Welcome to new JC members, and welcome back to our existing members. This is my fifth year in V8 Supercars and my best start to a season. I'm confident I have the car and team at Jim Beam Racing
to run at the front and have a shot at winning the championship title. That's the plan anyway.

It's been a busy start to 2010 with two overseas events in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain in February, and then the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide.

The season opener in Abu Dhabi was the first time V8 Supercars have raced at the Yas Marina Circuit, which is amazing. It's a Formula One venue and cost a $1.5-billion to build. Apart from the track and pits, the complex includes a hotel, which looks like a spaceship, a theme park, and even a beach!

I qualified in the top five in Abu Dhabi and finished fourth and sixth in the two races. In Bahrain I couldn't get a comfortable car set-up. My Falcon was quick for one qualifying lap, but in the races I struggled and finished sixth and seventh.

So I was fifth in the championship going into the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide. I was mid-pack in qualifying, but the car was a jet in the two
races and I finished second in both behind Garth Tander (Holden Racing Team). I also had the fastest laps in both races and set a new lap record in race two.

Hopefully my team and I can keep the momentum going, and if we can then I think we're set for a great season.

The official James Courtney website has had some tweaks since last year which existing members may have already noticed. The race results display and 2010 events have been updated and are now easier to access.

We have begun the 2010 fan gallery which will be updated when you send us more photographs.

The popular JC Race Wraps will continue to be posted on the website as soon as possible after each event, as in past years.

For the benefit of new members, these Race Wraps are a personal run down on each event, with my news and views about what happened
on and off the track. I provide a 'behind the scenes' look at the sport and the issues you will want to know about.

Something new this year is I can now be followed on TWITTER. Just follow this link and you can sign up:https://twitter.com/jcourtney18
If you aren't already on Twitter then you should give it a go. It's really easy to use. I've been posting messages and also photos during race meetings and between events. It's another way to follow the life of a V8 Supercar driver. You can also leave response messages.

The official FACEBOOK page has also been created. I need a degree to keep up with all these social networking sites!! Please follow this link: http://www.facebook.com/JamesCourtney18#!/pages/James-Courtney/272890498497?ref=ts

Another new aspect of the website is the ability to show videos. These can be seen through the MEDIA section and you may have a laugh at some of the old karting footage! At present membership for the site is free. We plan to offer more a few exclusive opportunities in the near future and I plan to get back online to chat with you through the website real soon.

Apologies for not being able to chat online recently, but it's been hectic with the birth of our second child Cadel in February 1, plus racing, training, and sponsor commitments. I hope you understand. Sometimes I wish there were more hours in a day so I could fit everything in!

I still have a few items left of the original JC merchandise. The new Jim Beam Racing gear for 2010 is also something special. They have changed the style of clothing to be more like Formula 1 teams and it looks 'mega'.

If you have any suggestions for the website please email your ideas to us. Any feedback from members is always appreciated.

Time to sign off because I have to go and do some training. After finishing second in Adelaide I now need extra fitness work so I can take that extra step to top position on the podium!

Keep Smiling

JC

Overview - 2007 was a difficult year for us in many ways but it was a year where we produced several good results and reaped some rewards for our hard work. It was a year where every single team member had to step up to the plate and perform well and as a result, we learned a substantial amount, not only about the cars, but the business as a whole.

The drivers should be commended on their performances throughout the year as the results were sometimes disappointing and this was due to other circumstances which was no fault of theirs.

The team has also lifted considerably under the control of Adrian Burgess and one of the highlights of last year was winning the 2007 V8 Supercars ‘Best Presented Team’ award, something which all of the guys deserve and should be proud of.

Looking ahead to the 2008 season Although we are limited as to what we can reveal regarding our plans for 2008, I am pleased to say that Jim Beam have increased their involvement with the team in many different ways, not just financially and this gives us a very solid base from which we can expand in 2008 and beyond.

There are a number of things which we are experimenting with when it comes to the cars which should see further improvement of the team going forward. We have also made some advancement during the off-season break and these improvements should also assist to push us forward through the field.

The new DJR Club 17 site & support from fans I have had a chance briefly to look at your new website and I must say it looks great! We really appreciate the support from all of our fans, including all of the Club 17 members and our DJR Team Mates of which I’m aware that many of you are already members. There is no doubt that the fans and sponsors are the lifeblood of our operation and the very reason that our team continues to operate. It’s not only about supporting the team though - if our fans get behind all of our sponsors and support them as well, our team will continue to achieve bigger and better things if we all work together as one huge DJR family. We are very proud of the fact that we have one of the biggest and most passionate fan bases in both Australia and New Zealand and with your continued support, I’m sure that the 2008 season and beyond will be very successful for our team.