V8 Supercars star James Courtney announces shock new career change after more than 20 years in racing
V8 Supercars star James Courtney has swapped burning rubber for selling houses.
The 20-year-old motorsport veteran announced this week that he will be joining McGrath Real Estate Agent on the Gold Coast.
Courtney told 9News that he’s “always had a big interest in real estate.”
“Real estate is actually my first real job I think, because racing has been my whole life so far,” he added.
Despite the career change, Courtney will not stop with motorsports yet.
After the 2025 season, he will end his contract with the Blanchard Racing Team and focus full-time on real estate.
“I’m approaching the end of my racing career and I saw this as a natural progression,” he said.
“I’m going to finish this year and do next year and then it’s full-time for me. So I’ve had a hugely successful career. I’ve had a blast with everything. And I want to end it on my terms.”
V8 Supercars star James Courtney (pictured with wife Tegan) has swapped burning rubber for selling houses
The move will likely allow Courtney to spend more time with his model wife Tegan and their newborn son Kobe.
James and Tegan married in September 2022 and had their first child together in October 2023.
Their romance caused a stir in the motorsport world, with Courtney’s friends and rivals dubbing him ‘The Handbag’ for the way he appeared as an accessory in his younger girlfriend’s scantily clad Instagram posts.
The story follows the newlyweds admitting that even their closest friends had no idea they were secretly getting married until they announced their wedding on Instagram.
They exchanged vows in front of just a handful of people, including Tegan’s mother, James’ parents and his two children from his previous marriage.
The 44-year-old Australian motorsport racer announced he will be selling homes on the Gold Coast after joining McGrath Real Estate Agent
Speaking to 9News, Courtney revealed that he’s “always had a huge interest in real estate”
“We kept it quiet for a while but then it wasn’t so quiet anymore so I thought we better say something. It was just the two of us, the kids Zara and Cadel, my parents and Tegan’s mum,” James said. News.com.au.
“We need witnesses, so we thought our mothers would be witnesses. And we also wanted the children to be there, because they play an important role in everything.”
Before dating Tegan, James had a short-lived romance with Kyly Clarke, the ex-wife of retired Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke.
Kyly and James first met when they were children, but after their marriages ended, they reconnected through social media.
It is believed that they ended their relationship in December 2020.