He first competed in ClubSport events, winning several class titles as well as being named the Junior Driver Of The Year multiple times.
He started circuit racing at Teretonga Park, again with success in his class.
He then moved to Cromwell to work for the Paddon Racing Group and began competing in Eastern Southland Car Club events becoming the 2024/25 Eastern Southland Car Club Champion, after winning their Motorkhana Championship, Autocross Championship and his class title during that season.
Earlier this year Cooper contested the Clubsport Championships in Ashburton where he became New Zealand ClubSport Champion in his Toyota Corolla.
With that solid club background Cooper tackled his first rally at Otago in April in a Ford Escort MKII owned by his father Gregg.
"It was definitely a huge learning curve.
"We have lots of things to change for Rally Southland."
Cooper’s partner, India Brown, was in the co-driver seat for Otago and will be again in Southland.
"She went really, really well," he said.
"She took to pace notes extremely well, just completely natural."
Unfortunately, the duo failed to finish Rally Otago after sustaining suspension damage in stage four.
Cooper attributed ClubSport as a huge help in transitioning to rallying.
ClubSport certainly helped with the "tighter, twisty stuff", he said.
Cooper regards the Barry Robinson Memorial Rally Southland as his home event and he will be driving the Escort in the Gill Repairs Ltd Winton class G for Classic two-wheel-drive cars of 1701cc & over.
"It will be great to compete in front of family and friends," he said.
"It will be awesome."
He co-drove for his father in the Wyndham Rally three or four years ago so knew some of the roads on the event.
"Dad has been helping heaps."
His work for the Paddon Racing Group involved, "lots of cool stuff" including commuting across the Tasman to run cars in events on occasion.
The company founder, Hayden Paddon, who would be competing in a number of World Rally Championship events this year and was a former Production World Rally Champion, "gives us a lot of support," Cooper said.
Looking ahead to the event Cooper said, "I am very excited".
"I want to get as much seat time as I can.
"We are about to start a new car build and have a go at the H6 Cup in the future."
All the cars and drivers in the Barry Robinson Memorial Rally Southland will be at Invercargill Central from 4pm on Friday, July 17, where the opportunity exists to get autographs and see the cars close up before the Ceremonial Start at 6pm.
The following day the cars leave Wyndham at 8.30am before tackling seven high speed Special Stages before the event concludes at the Ascot Park Hotel in Invercargill at 3.45pm.
