Dual SXS Motorsport Australia Championship winner James Cook will make the transition from a SXS Pro to a Pro Buggy for the 2024 season.
The Victorian has been the standout performer in the SXS class over the past two years, but will upgrade to the big leagues after confirming the purchase of the new Get Performance Pro Buggy.
Boasting a LS7 V8 Chev Engine, Cook purchased the vehicle from Mildura-based driver Josh Wilson following his title-winning weekend at the Black Diamond Drilling Kalgoorlie Desert Race, and has the intention of running it in the 2024 Polaris Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship (AORC) season.
The car itself has appeared in the AORC on multiple occasions, with its most recent round being this year’s Wentworth Shire Pooncarie Desert Race where Wilson finished seventh overall.
“It’s a very exciting prospect and we can’t thank Josh enough for giving us the opportunity to purchase what appears to be a very strong car,” Cook said.
“I have done homework on all the elements contributing to the build of the car and I am very happy with how it looks right now.
“I had received a lot of good feedback on the car from other people and when we looked at it on the way to Loveday, it was in good condition, so we made the move and put a deposit on it.
“Having had Loveday and Kalgoorlie on our mind, we decided to wait until after the season to complete the transaction, which we have now done, and I am really excited for next year – I can’t wait to drive it.”
Although Cook won two SXS titles during his first two seasons behind the wheel of the Can-Am, he was not expecting to jump to the top of the field straight away.
As a result, Cook was hopeful of using the 2024 season as a learning year before having a proper crack at the AORC title in 2025.
“We have never driven it so there is a lot to learn, but we are just keen to get home, do some testing and work on the suspension,” Cook added.
“Honestly, I need to learn how to drive a Pro Buggy. It’s a completely different driving style. It is rear wheel drive and a different power delivery, so it will take a bit of learning, but it’s going to be quicker, and we will be able to push harder than the Can-Am.
“I am just keen to see how we go against the best in the country now that we are in a car capable of outright wins. We will see how we go, but the plan is just to do Pooncarie, Finke and Loveday, before having a proper crack.
“With that said, if we find ourselves in a position of challenging for the title after Loveday, then there is every chance we will make it out to the other two rounds to try and win.”
The 2024 Polaris Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship begins with the Wentworth Shire Pooncarie Desert Dash on 19-21 April.
