Barnes back on NZ tarmac after impressive Bathurst

Eighteen-year-old Cooper Barnes will join the grid for the Bridgestone GR86 Championship opener this coming weekend.

A winner in state championship races in karting, Barnes has solid pace in the Australian GR86 championship, shining at his second Bathurst finale recently and of course taking a race win and no fewer than six podiums in the New Zealand championship during an impressive first season in NZ.

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 in 2024.

Cooper will be back with Rights Karts Academy by M2 Competition for what could turn into more than a one-off appearance.

• Castrol
• Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship
• Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy
• Cooper Barnes
• Euromarque Motorsport Park
• FT50
• FT60
• GR86 Championship
• Hampton Downs
• Highlands Motorsport Park
• Lady Wigram Trophy
• Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon
• New Zealand Grand Prix
• nzmotorracing
• Rights Karts Academy by M2 Competition
• Super Licence
• TalkMotorsport
• Taupo Motorsport Park
• Toyota GAZOO Racing New Zealand
• TRS

Supplied

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