Jack Perkins Bio
Jack Perkins (born 22 August 1986) is an Australian motorsport driver who competes in the Pirtek Enduro Cup in the Supercars Championship. He currently co-drives with James Courtney in the No. 7 Ford Mustang for Blanchard Racing Team. Born in Melbourne, Victoria, Perkins is the son of retired Australian racer and former team owner Larry Perkins, and he carries on a deep family legacy in Australian motorsport. Over the course of his career he has raced in V8 Supercars, development categories, and in 2025 expanded his program into the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Early Life and Background
Jack Perkins was born on 22 August 1986 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, into one of the country’s most recognised racing families. His father, Larry Perkins, is a former Bathurst 1000 champion and the founder of Perkins Engineering, a team that became a fixture in Australian touring car racing. Jack’s grandfather Eddie Perkins and great-uncle George Reynolds also competed in motorsport, giving him a multi-generational connection to the sport before he ever turned a wheel in anger.
Growing up around the Perkins Engineering workshop, Jack was exposed to race preparation and team operations from a young age. The family team was built around the famous No. 11 car number that his father had made iconic, and that number would later become Jack’s own racing identifier. This hands-on upbringing shaped his technical understanding and his appreciation for endurance racing traditions.
Path to NASCAR
Perkins’ route to NASCAR came through a long apprenticeship in Australian touring cars and the related development categories. After years of co-driving factory entries in the Pirtek Enduro Cup, including podium finishes at the Gold Coast 600 and Bathurst 1000, he earned recognition as one of Australia’s most reliable endurance specialists. On 22 May 2025 it was announced that Perkins would make his NASCAR debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. His first start was later moved up to the Chicago street course before he took on additional Xfinity rounds later in the season.
Jack Perkins Career
Early Career (2006-2008)
Perkins began his senior career in 2006 with his father’s Perkins Engineering team in the Fujitsu V8 Development Series, driving the No. 78 entry alongside Shane Price. He finished third in that development championship and was also entrusted with the No. 11 Perkins Engineering Commodore for the Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000 endurance events. In 2007 he was promoted to a full-time main series drive after the late departures of Steven Richards and Paul Dumbrell, racing the No. 11 Commodore for the season.
His 2007 campaign was mixed, with strong qualifying performances offset by mid-stint fatigue that was later traced to a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. He stepped back from the full-time seat for the final rounds of 2007, then returned to action in 2008 in the development series with Independent Race Cars Australia. After working his way back to fitness, Perkins closed 2008 with a round win at Oran Park and fifth in the development championship.
Kelly Racing and Co-Drive Years (2009-2014)
In 2009 Perkins drove the No. 11 Kelly Racing Commodore in the main V8 Supercars Championship, a seat created by the merger of Perkins Engineering and Kelly Racing. The four-car team struggled for results that year, and Perkins was not retained for 2010. He spent that season with Paul Morris Motorsport, running a limited development program before being called up to partner Tim Slade at the Phillip Island 500 and later Russell Ingall at the Gold Coast event.
Through 2011 and 2012 he split his time between the development series with Sonic Motor Racing and endurance co-drives with Garry Rogers Motorsport, partnering Scott McLaughlin in 2013. In 2014 he returned to full-time driving with Charlie Schwerkolt Racing in the No. 18 Jeld Wen Ford FG Falcon, qualifying inside the top ten at Bathurst and finishing the year with a twelfth-place result despite a late pit-lane penalty.
Supercars Endurance Career and Walkinshaw Era (2015-2024)
From 2015 Perkins focused on the Pirtek Enduro Cup, joining Holden Racing Team as a co-driver alongside James Courtney. The pair won the Gold Coast 600 in 2015, returned to the podium at Surfers Paradise in 2018, and in 2019 Perkins scored his first Bathurst 1000 podium, finishing third in the No. 22 Holden ZB Commodore for Walkinshaw Andretti United. Across more than 150 championship rounds, he has added one Supercars race win and three podiums to his resume.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Debut (2025)
On 22 May 2025, Perkins was confirmed for the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing, beginning with the Chicago street course event. He has since raced at Portland International Raceway and continues to log laps in America’s second-tier national series while balancing his Australian endurance commitments. His NASCAR program complements his established role as a Supercars endurance specialist.
Driving Style and Strengths
Perkins is best known for his smooth, consistent pace over long stints, which has made him a trusted co-driver in Australia’s toughest endurance races. His background in the Perkins Engineering workshop gives him a strong feel for car balance, and he has built a productive partnership with James Courtney that has produced multiple podiums. He is also recognised for the discipline required to manage his Type 1 diabetes while competing at the highest level.
Notable Races and Milestones
Standout moments include his 2015 Gold Coast 600 win with Courtney, his third-place finish at the 2019 Bathurst 1000, and his qualifying shootout appearance at Bathurst in 2014. His 2025 NASCAR debut with Joe Gibbs Racing added a North American chapter to a career already defined by major endurance racing benchmarks.
Jack Perkins Career Wins
Perkins has built a career around consistency in Australia’s Supercars endurance races, supplemented by development series results and a one-off win at the top level. His Supercars statistics include one race win, three podiums, and 157 championship starts. He has also recorded a round win in the V8 Supercar Development Series at Oran Park in 2008.
Supercars Championship Highlights
Perkins’ lone Supercars Championship victory came during his long association with the Pirtek Enduro Cup. His first major win was the 2015 Gold Coast 600 with James Courtney for Holden Racing Team. His most recent podium was a third-place finish at the 2019 Bathurst 1000 in the No. 22 Holden ZB Commodore for Walkinshaw Andretti United.
Other Wins and Performances
In the V8 Supercar Development Series, Perkins captured a round win at the final 2008 event at Oran Park and finished fifth in the championship. He has also been a regular contender in the Bathurst 6 Hour and Australian GT events, along with a stint as a television commentator for the Dunlop V8 Supercar Series and speedway’s World Series Sprintcars.
Jack Perkins Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Perkins comes from a noted Australian racing dynasty. His father, Larry Perkins, is a two-time Bathurst 1000 winner and founder of Perkins Engineering. His grandfather Eddie Perkins and great-uncle George Reynolds also competed in the sport. Jack has continued the family’s tradition of racing the iconic No. 11 in touring car competition.
Personal Life
Shortly before the penultimate round of the 2007 V8 Supercars Championship, Perkins was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, a condition he has since managed while continuing to compete at the top level. He has served as a spokesperson for Diabetes Australia and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and maintains a personal sponsorship from Accu-Chek, a manufacturer of blood sugar testing equipment.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been a milestone year for Perkins as he balances his Australian endurance commitments with a new NASCAR Xfinity Series program. He was confirmed in May 2025 for Joe Gibbs Racing, with his debut advanced to the Chicago street course race before additional starts including Portland. Across the year, he continues to co-drive with James Courtney in the No. 7 Ford Mustang for Blanchard Racing Team in the Pirtek Enduro Cup.
In the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings he is classified 64th through his 2025 starts, reflecting the learning curve of a first-year international campaign. The combined schedule underlines his role as a versatile endurance and stock car driver entering a new chapter of his career.
