Bathurst 1000 2022: James and Tegan Courtney prepare for birth of first child

James Courtney is hoping to make history at Mount Panorama while preparing for the birth of his first child — with his pregnant wife Tegan watching from another state.

James Courtney in the Tickford Racing Garage during the first practice session of the Bathurst 1000. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Tegan Courtney is “spewing” she will miss seeing new husband James Courtney race at Bathurst this year – but she’ll be even more upset if their baby arrives while he’s on the grid.

After tying the knot in a secret ceremony early last month, the new Mrs Courtney and her Supercars racer husband are expecting their first child together in two weeks.

So the Gold Coast make-up artist will be watching the race on television as she awaits the arrival of their baby, already affectionately nicknamed “Brian”.

“It sucks that I am not down there this time, I’m spewing,” Tegan said.

“But it’s OK. I would rather give birth on the Gold Coast than in Bathurst, so I have just got to choose that over going to Bathurst.

“I went to Bathurst last year, so I have been once before and I’ll go next year and take baby Brian next year.

“This week he (Courtney) is away for six nights, so I organised my best friend to stay with me for three nights and my mum to stay with me the other three nights just in case I go into labour in the middle of the night and no one is around to help or anything.

“But I will be pretty upset if he does come when James is in Bathurst.

“I joke with him and say: ‘Don’t bother coming home’ if I’ve had the baby while he’s in Bathurst.

“But he doesn’t have a normal job that he can just leave. I wouldn’t want him to either, Bathurst is pretty important, I wouldn’t expect him to come home.

“But I would be disappointed if he wasn’t there (for the birth).”

V8 Supercars driver James Courtney and his wife Tegan before this weekend's Bathurst 1000 race. The couple are expecting their first child and it may come during this weekend's race. Picture Mark Horsburgh.

The mum-to-be admitted her big issue would be trying to remain calm during the 1000km race, in which Courtney is still chasing his first win.

“I’m like: ‘You better be bloody careful’,” Tegan said.

“I keep telling him to drive safely and don’t do anything stupid. It doesn’t help with all the rain that is predicted either.”

The couple confirmed their secret September nuptials on social media last week after they “eloped” to wed at the Brisbane registry in front of just a few family members.

“I have always wanted to be married before I had children,” Tegan said, explaining the secret wedding.

“We knew we were going to do it and so in April we went to the registry and booked in the dates, so we have known for six months that we were doing it.

“We weren’t going to tell anyone just because we want to celebrate it again in the future and I didn’t want it to not feel real the next time we do it.

“I just didn’t want to have an actual proper wedding now because I am pregnant and I just felt like it was all too much, so I just wanted to do the legal side of it and down the track (celebrate it again) and ‘Brian’ can be there and walk down the aisle.

V8 Supercars driver James Courtney and his wife Tegan. Picture Mark Horsburgh

“I want to have a proper wedding one day but I just wanted to be married before the baby came.

“It’s weird to actually be called Mrs Courtney and have a husband, that just sounds weird, I’m still getting used to it.”

Courtney, who has teamed with Zane Goddard for the race, hoped the baby, which has an official due date of October 21, does not decide to make an early arrival.

“It’s not like a footy team where we have got guys on the side waiting, so hopefully little fella holds on until dad gets home and I can be there,” Courtney said.

“Unfortunately, if I want to put food in the little guy’s mouth I have got to work.

“If he comes early, I will be trying to switch the stints around so I do the second last one and I can then start driving home or get an earlier flight possible out of there.”

Originally published as Bathurst 1000 2022: James and Tegan Courtney prepare for birth of first child