Wellington driver Brock Cooley is the BNT NZ Touring Car Series Class 2 Champion!
Cooley won the latest round of the series at Manfeild Park in Feilding at the weekend and with one round still remaining has an insurmountable lead over his rivals. Cooley admitted the Speedy Signs Falcon wasn’t the quickest car in the extremely hot conditions encountered at Manfeild but after qualifying second behind Sam Barry of Waipukurau he raced to a second place in the opening race of the weekend behind Barry on Saturday afternoon. His closest championship rival Brad Lathrope of Auckland was a non starter in the opening race giving Cooley a healthy lead heading into Sunday’s two races.
Sunday produced another second place in the opening race before Cooley crossed the line first and as the new champion in the third and final race of the weekend. The results gave him the round win, his fourth in succession.
Brock was rapt with the championship win and acknowledged all those who have helped him, including his sponsors, team, family and supporters. “I owe a tremendous amount of thanks to all those who have helped me along the way from the people who made it possible to get into the series through to the guys who have given up their weekends and hundreds of hours to prepare the Speedy Signs Falcon. Our whole sponsor group have been there from the beginning and have been a pleasure to work with.”
“I never had the quickest car this weekend but the Speedy Signs Ford team never gave up and turned it around to give me a car with some pace for the last race. To say we are stoked right now is an understatement and the title is great reward for the whole team and all their hard work.” Cooley admitted he had never raced in such hot conditions, saying it was “well over 50 degrees in the car and hard work”.
The final round of the series takes place at Pukekohe Park Raceway over the weekend of 16/17 April and in typical fashion Cooley will not be resting on his laurels. “We have never won a round there so that is the goal. We want to finish the championship on a high.”
Brock Cooley Motorsport is based in Lower Hutt and the Speedy Signs Falcon carries support this season from Speedy Signs and Lower Hutt based Stevens Ford & Mazda Ltd along with longtime supporters Gaskin Ford & Mazda, Macbilt Engineering, Ashton Panel & Paint, Duncan Partition Installations, BC Contracting and EmbroidMe.
