Courtney and Reynolds Unveil Snowy River Team 18 Camaro: A New Era for Supercars
The highly anticipated partnership between James Courtney and Snowy River Caravans has been confirmed, with the announcement that Snowy River will be the major sponsor of Team 18's car #20. This strategic move, masterminded by the commercially savvy Courtney, is set to solidify his position as one of the sport's top earners, especially with his soon-to-be-announced role in Supercars TV broadcasts.
Despite Courtney's initial hints of a 'cold turkey' retirement from driving during his final full-time season, the multifaceted switch to Team 18 was a long-planned move. Snowy River takes the reins as the main sponsor, while Tradie retains prominent positions on the car's front quarters.
Courtney, 45, reflects on the challenges ahead: "2026 is a whole new challenge for me. Moving from being a full-time driver to Davey's sidekick is a different dynamic. Davey and I have a long history, and our combined experience is invaluable. He's a Bathurst winner and the oldest full-time driver in the field, and I'm thrilled to tackle Bathurst with his expertise."
The partnership with Snowy River brings a new dynamic to the team, with Lee Holdsworth, who co-drove to second in the Bathurst 1000 with Reynolds last year, moving to Anton De Pasquale's car. Reynolds, 40, now the oldest full-time driver, acknowledges the experience gap: "I'm the oldest guy on the grid, which is strange at 40, but I see it as a positive. There are many young drivers and rookies, which is great for the category, but experience still counts in Supercars, and I'm in a good position to leverage that."
Team 18's technical director, Geoff Slater, will take on the role of race engineer for the #20 entry, replacing Richard Hollway, who remains with the team. Reynolds expresses enthusiasm for this change: "Having Geoff step into the race engineer role is exciting. He's experienced, credentialed, and intimately familiar with the team."
The arrival of Courtney and Snowy River has sparked a shift in the team's dynamics, with Lee Holdsworth moving to Anton De Pasquale's car. Reynolds highlights the benefits of this change: "Holdsworth did an excellent job last year, and I'm excited to share the car with James. He's the same size as me, drives similarly, and is a great character to have around. He brings a new level to the team, and I can't wait to get started."
This strategic move by Team 18, with the support of Snowy River, promises an exciting era for Supercars, blending experience with fresh talent and a renewed focus on team dynamics.
