Ipswich rookie Hudson James fights back from crash to finish dream Bathurst debut
HUDSON “Hotlaps” James had waited years to race at Mount Panorama, and when a crash threatened to derail his dream Bathurst debut, the Ipswich rookie rolled up his sleeves alongside the crew determined to keep him on track.
From a top-10 finish to a battered ute and repairs stretching into Friday night, James experienced the mountain’s highs and lows before climbing five places to finish 14th in Sunday’s finale.
The EFS 4×4 Accessories driver opened the fourth V8 SuperUtes championship round with 10th in Friday morning’s first race, completing seven laps in 21 minutes and 23.556 seconds. Just 0.286 seconds separated him from ninth-placed Luke Webber, an encouraging introduction to a circuit that demands precision from even its most experienced campaigners.
That start unravelled in Race 2 when James became caught in an early incident on the climb towards The Cutting, with Cody Brewczynski slowing out of Turn 2 before James and Webber were involved in a concertina that damaged both vehicles.
Cleared by the medic but rattled and sore, James joined his team in the garage, helping repair the damage through Friday afternoon and into the night as attention turned to getting the Mazda ready for Saturday’s return.
James had labelled 2026 his “training year”, using his first V8 SuperUtes campaign to learn the category and build experience. He arrived at Bathurst sitting 11th in the championship on 424 points, only 46 behind 10th-placed Justin Ruggier, with a lifelong racing ambition adding significance to his push up the standings.
Making the Race 3 grid was the first reward for the repair effort, and James found renewed confidence from 19th, working as high as 16th before a pit stop cost him ground. He brought the repaired ute home in 19th, completing a race that had looked uncertain when the crew first surveyed Friday’s damage.
Sunday brought a stronger finish, with James advancing from 19th to 14th in the fourth and final race to close his first appearance at the Repco Bathurst 1000.
The Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 awaits from October 23-25, giving James another opportunity to turn a demanding rookie season into progress.
