V8 Supercars driver James Courtney out of Sydney 500 with broken leg suffered in horror crash Injuries from this crash will force Courtney to miss the Sydney V8 finale. JAMES Courtney's horror crash has cost him a place on the grid for the Sydney 500, with the hometown hero sustaining a fractured tibia in the brutal Phillip Island collision with Alex Premat. The former champion has been ruled out of the V8 Grand Finale, with scans today revealing the break in his leg suffered when Holden driver Premat slammed into him at more than 200km/h. The crash was one of the hardest hits in V8 memory and Courtney could not walk unassisted after his HRT Commodore was t-boned ,with the car impacted on the driver's side door. Although initial checks cleared him of serious injury, MRI scans taken in a further examination revealed injuries that will prevent him from racing. The scan showed a fracture to my tibia, and a tear in my quad muscle. It's quite painful but I'm doing alright and it's good to know what the damage is," Courtney said. Unfortunately I won't be racing at the Sydney 500, it's my hometown race and always exciting. Being a racer I would be out there right now if I could but it's better to get the recovery process started so I come back firing on all eight cylinders next season. Premat helps Courtney out of the car after their crash. Although this means that James will be on crutches for the next six weeks, his injury will fully heal in plenty of time for the new season. Holden Racing Team Managing Director, Steve Hallam said Courtney's recovery was his and the team's number one priority. "Our immediate concern is for James and while we understand he is disappointed to be missing the Sydney 500 on doctor's advice we are firm in that it is best for him to focus entirely on his recovery," Hallam said. Replacing Courtney in the team's No.22 Commodore will be Nick Percat, the 2011 Bathurst winner who co-drove with Garth Tander at this year's Pirtek Enduro Cup events. "Nick has a long history with the Holden Racing Team and Walkinshaw Racing and we appreciate Nick making himself available," Hallam said. Percat paired with Tander at this year's Bathurst 1000.