James Courtney has been cleared to return to competition for the first time since August at the Castrol Gold Coast 600 this weekend.

Courtney underwent a thorough scan before being given the green light to take the wheel of his #22 HRT Commodore alongside co-driver Jack Perkins in the final event of the Pirtek Enduro Cup.

“It’s a relief to finally receive medical clearance and be back for my hometown race on the Gold Coast – I’m raring to go,” Courtney said.

“Missing three events, especially Bathurst, was tough, but my doctors tell me I’m ok now and ready to race.

“The Gold Coast event is one of the season’s toughest races on one of the most challenging and unforgiving circuits we visit, but after nine weeks out of the car I’m up for it.”

The 2010 V8 champion suffered major internal injuries including five broken ribs, a punctured lung, muscle, cartilage and tissue damage after being struck by pit equipment whipped up by a helicopter at the Sydney Motorsport Park event on August 21.

Courtney took part in Practice 1 at the meeting before the freak accident left him hospitalised for several days.

He has not raced since the Coates Hire Ipswich Super Sprint at Queensland Raceway when finished sixth in the 65-lap Sunday race.

Team leader Adrian Burgess said that Courtney had been close to being cleared for the recent Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 but a scan on the Monday prior to The Great Race revealed he had not quite recovered enough to eliminate him from risking further injury.