PROMISING Super2 rookie Cooper Murray will be one of the leading talents watching next week’s Repco Bathurst 1000 from the sidelines and is determined to make sure there’s no such repeat in 2024.
Murray roared back into Super2 title contention earlier this month by winning a wild Sunday Sandown race, closing to within 90 points of leader Zak Best with still 600 up for grabs.
The 2021 Carrera Cup Australia runner-up made an immediate impression in a Supercar, overtaking Jack Perkins to win the second-tier’s season-opening race in Newcastle.
He was ineligible to score a 2023 main game co-drive until a rule change – opening the door for those with Carrera Cup or Super3 runs on the board – but it was too late by then.
So, Murray will be a spectator come Sunday week at Mount Panorama, but he is likely to become hot property before long.
And in fact, he’s hoping to put pen to paper on a 2024 co-drive before the year is out.
“For me, the main thing for next year is obviously to get a co-drive,” said the 22-year-old, who recently completed an Erebus Motorsport Gen3 evaluation.
“I have got a bit screwed over this year with the Superlicence system which is unfortunate but there wasn’t very much that I could do.
“So that’s the first thing I want to tick off before the end of this year, is to secure a co-drive and hopefully some wildcards and see how we go from there.”
Ahead of him in the Super2 standings is Tickford Racing co-driver Best, Dick Johnson Racing wildcard Kai Allen, and Walkinshaw Andretti United 2024 graduate Ryan Wood.
“I’ve got a good record at Bathurst, hoping to continue it,” said Murray.
“Every time I have been there I have been on the podium, so if I can continue that form it would put us in a good spot going into Adelaide.”
V8 Sleuth’s ongoing coverage of the Dunlop Series for Super2 and Super3 is proudly presented by Biante – Fuel your passion with winning model cars. Visit Biante here to check out their range of model cars in a range of scales from 1:64 to 1:10.
