Barnes – from Port Macquarie in New South Wales – started karting at the age of nine before switching to circuit racing at 14 with a season racing Excels. He started racing in Toyota 86s last year and just completed his second season, this time in the GR86 model. 

A winner in state championship races in karting, Barnes has shown solid pace in the Australian GR86 championship, most recently qualifying ninth in the Bathurst 1000 round and then running comfortably inside the top ten on the Gold Coast before being taken out of the race.

For his debut season of racing in New Zealand, Cooper will be part of a new team in the first Bridgestone GR86 Championship - Rights Karts Academy by M2 Competition – and will be overseen by Mark Pilcher and his M2 engineers. The second-year joinery apprentice will be backed by Designer Living Kitchens for the 2024-2025 season. He thoroughly enjoyed his first laps in the New Zealand specification car around Hampton Downs, setting impressive times during the two-day test last week.

“I’ve never been in a big team like this so that part was a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to the season with Rights Karts Academy by M2 Competition. It was great to get out in the car for the first time and cut some laps. The tyre was a major step up from what I have been used to and felt like we were cornering on rails!

“I really enjoyed the first days overall. Hampton Downs was a lot of fun.  We wanted to continue after the season in Australia finished just to get more experience and more racing and hopefully keep progressing. Hopefully the time I have had in the GR86 in Australia will be useful during this campaign and it’s exciting that it’s a big field and all new cars.”

Longer term Cooper is hoping to make it into Super 2 and ultimately into the Supercar field having seen many Toyota 86 racers – on both sides of the Tasman – use the championship as a stepping stone on the way to the Australian main game competitions.

He doesn’t have to wait long before returning to the action with the New Zealand Championship set to get underway at the end of the month at the Taupo International Motorsport Park. Six rounds will conclude in April when the championship decider will be on the support card for Supercars second visit to Taupo.