Supercars star James Courtney has no fear upon his return of the freak accident that left him with life-long injuries.
Courtney suffered broken ribs as well as damage to his lungs and sternum in 2015 when the wash of a navy helicopter blew debris into his chest in the pit lane of Sydney Motorsport Park.
Courtney was sidelined for last year's event in his western Sydney homeland as well as the following Sandown and Bathurst endurance races.
The Holden Racing Team ace was back at the venue for practice on Friday before this weekend's Sydney SuperSprint event.
Courtney's return comes weeks after he had surgery on nerves that were damaged in the accident.
But as his physical recovery continues, it appears the event has left few mental scars.
"I'm not coming back here scared or anything," he said.
"It's a freak accident, something I definitely wish didn't happen.
"I'm here to race and win."
This weekend's event is the first since Holden announced it was ending its 26-year relationship with Walkinshaw Racing - the entity behind the HRT brand.
Team principal Ryan Walkinshaw has vowed to continue the team under a new moniker in 2017, but Courtney admitted the off-track news had taken a toll.
"Us as a team, especially with what's gone over the last few weeks. It's pretty important we have a good weekend and try to put all that behind us," he said.
