![\"Jack](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025-Bathurst-1000-Z81_9822.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJack Perkins. Image: Richard Gresham <\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJack Perkins. Image: Richard Gresham <\/p>\n
The long-time friends bid an emotional farewell to their driving partnership ahead of Courtney\u2019s impending move from full-timer to co-driver.<\/p>\n
Perkins co-drove with Courtney at the Walkinshaw squad from 2015-19, before reuniting at the Blanchard Racing Team last year.<\/p>\n
There was no fairytale end as the Snowy River Caravans Mustang suffered a gearbox failure while running between the eventual top two finishers with just over 30 laps to go.<\/p>\n
While Courtney on Sunday confirmed his new deal with Team 18<\/a>, Perkins is among a number of free agents in a rapidly unfolding 2026 co-driver market.<\/p>\n \u201cBathurst was just such a letdown for us, given we got to a really good position and didn\u2019t make any mistakes all day after a pretty disappointing Tailem Bend,\u201d Perkins told Speedcafe.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would have been a lot easier to have had a great result at Bathurst, top three, top five, and then see what was available [for next year].<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d like to keep doing it, but I\u2019m not there to just fill up the numbers and take away someone else\u2019s opportunity.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll have a chat with a few different people, whether it\u2019s the Blanchards, sponsors and whatever else.<\/p>\n \u201cAs it stands nothing is sorted, but that\u2019s not new. I\u2019ve done 11, one-year deals. Normally unemployment between October and February is pretty standard.\u201d<\/p>\n Perkins ran a Courtney tribute helmet at Bathurst. Image: Supplied<\/p>\n Perkins balances Supercars co-driving duties with running the Perkins Engineering car restoration business and working for Seven on its Supercars telecasts.<\/p>\n The 39-year-old son of six-time Bathurst 1000 winner Larry made his 20th start in the Great Race this year and holds a best result of third, achieved alongside Courtney in 2019.<\/p>\n \u201cThe last few years I\u2019ve often thought that if the phone calls don\u2019t happen, that could be it. So I\u2019m at peace with it,\u201d he said of the uncertainty.<\/p>\n \u201cBut when you ran as well as we did, especially in the wet at Bathurst, you feel like you\u2019ve still got something to give.<\/p>\n \u201cYou want to make your own decisions and go out on your own terms, but I\u2019m not 40 years old yet, so we\u2019ll just see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n NASCAR team\u2019s nod to Jack Perkins amid championship win<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Perkins ordinarily keeps sharp for the enduros by running a handful of Super2 rounds, but this year concentrated his efforts on what turned into a two-race NASCAR Xfinity deal.<\/p>\n Encouraged by his speed at the Chicago street circuit and Portland road course, he\u2019s exploring options to return \u2013 which could again prepare him well for an enduro campaign.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s funny, the enduros aren\u2019t easy, it\u2019s not getting any easier just turning up a couple of times a year and racing those cars,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously I\u2019ve dedicated my life to trying to win the Bathurst 1000. I\u2019ve not given up on that yet.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/560428281_18533546503036152_4764718765989507142_n.jpg\")
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