Josh Cooper, formerly of Invercargill but now based in Cromwell, where he works for the Paddon Racing Group, is the 2024/2025 Eastern Southland Car Club’s Champion, a feat that was officially recognised at the club’s prizegiving recently.
Cooper ended the season with 169 points, with Brendon Mitchell of Winton on 161 points and Glenn Howden (Invercargill) on 144.
Cooper’s success came after he won the overall ClubSport Championship in his Toyota Corolla from Mitchell and Howden. To achieve that, he won the Motorkhana title from Dave Wild of Dunedin and Mitchell and the Autocross title from Howden and ESCC Club President, Nigel King of Rakahouka.
Cooper was awarded the Wright Stephenson Trophy for the Motorkhana Championship, one of the club’s oldest trophies dating back to 1955, and the McManus Trophy for his win in the Autocross Championship.
Cooper said he really enjoyed the club’s events.
“The nature of the championship means you can do quite well in a cheaper, underpowered car. The club have really good courses that suit both 4WD and 2WD cars, and that really tightens up the field.
“There are some very talented drivers in the championship, especially on grass. The season was close and I really enjoyed the last round of Autocross, even though Hayden (Paddon) beat me in my own car, although it was only by .1 of a second.”
His work for Paddon means Cooper is a regular commuter across the Tasman as he prepares Stewart Reid’s Mitsubishi Mirage AP4 in the Australian Rally Championship.
He was in Australia when the prizegiving was held, and his partner, India Brown, collected his haul of trophies.
“She is very supportive,” he says.
“She did a few rounds of the championship herself this year, initially in her own Corolla and then some rounds in my car. She did surprisingly well in her first season. The plan is she will drive my car next year, and 100% I will be back next season as well.”
In addition to his other awards, Cooper also won Class B in the championship, while other class winners were King in Class D, and Dunedin drivers Ricky Ward in Class C and Jason Whitehead in Class A.
Ryan Howden of Invercargill won the Junior Championship (Under 25), taking the Laird Family Challenge Trophy after finishing fourth overall in the Club Championship.
He was also first in the Under-18 Autocross Championship. He secured the Harry Ross Challenge Trophy for winning the Under 18 ClubSport Championship ahead of Winton-based youngsters Robbie Batt and Luke Mitchell.
Craig Jessop of Stirling took the South Otago Challenge Cup for the highest placed South Otago competitor in the championship in sixth overall, and Robbie Batt was the top new competitor, winning the ESCC Trophy for the season.
Raimon Wilkinson of Invercargill was chosen as the Club Member of the Year after many years of helping out at the club, particularly over the past couple of years.
“We have been building a new car, and while we are not competing, we are helping as much as we can,” says Wilkinson.
“A lot of people have stood on the side of the road to help us compete, so we are giving back. When our car is ready, we will be helmets on and back on the stones.”
While not competing, Wilkinson has given time to block marshalling, delivering letters to residents on rally routes, setting up stages and finishes, organising and taping stages, road preparation – a myriad of tasks to help events run.
“It takes a village to raise a child and an army to run a car club. I am a foot soldier, the club needs privates and corporals, not just generals,” he says.
Karen Ward of Dunedin won the ESCC Ladies Trophy, taking the Ladies Championship with 60 points from Invercargill’s Ismay Howden on 58.
Carter Strang of Wallacetown won the Rally Challenge Trophy based on overall places per stage on the Wyndham Rally and the fastest runs at the Popotunoa Rallysprint, while Glenn Howden was the winner of the Gravel Events Trophy, based on class placings at Mt Misery and Happy Valley, from Ricky Ward and King.
King also won the Hillclimb Cup, based on overall placings at Mt Misery and Happy Valley, from Howden and Ward, while Kevin Laird of Alexandra won the Gravel Sprint Trophy by taking the fastest time at the Happy Valley event and Derek Ayson of Gore the Kelly Cup for the Mt Misery Gravel Hillclimb.
Glenn Howden and King picked up the two other awards of the night, Howden taking the BCM Memorial Trophy for the Most Consistent Competitor and King the Hard Luck Award for damage done at one of the club’s events.
ESCC Committee Member Roger Laird said it was a good night, and it was awesome to see the achievements of some of the younger members, particularly Ryan Howden, the son of Glenn and Ismay Howden, who finished fourth overall in the club championship at just 15 years of age.
Header Image: Glenn Howden
