COOPER MURRAY NOMINATED FOR PORSCHE SHOOTOUT

Porsche Cars Australia has announced Cooper Murray as the winner of the 2021 Porsche Michelin Junior Australia programme which will see the Victorian contest the Porsche Junior Shootout later this year.

After winning the most recent Porsche Carrera Cup Australia round in Townsville, Murray holds a 25-point lead in the junior competition allowing him to go overseas and compete against the other competition winners from around the globe for a seat as an official Porsche driver.

The fourth of the Carrera Cup Series scheduled for Phillip Island was meant to be the final round of the Porsche Junior programme this year, however due to the events cancellation Murray has earnt himself the Carrera Cup Australia nomination for this year.

Should the nomination be approved Murray will go up against the best young Porsche drivers from around the world.

“I’m very excited and grateful to have been nominated as a Porsche Carrera Cup Australia representative with the opportunity to attend the Porsche Junior Global Shootout event,” Murray said.

Both Australian Matt Campbell and New Zealander Jaxon Evans went onto win the Shootout and became official Porsche drivers.

Since then, Campbell has taken a class win at the Le Mans 24 Hours and an outright Bathurst 12 Hour, while Evans has gone on to win another Carrera Cup title and now races alongside Campbell in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

“I hope to follow in the footsteps of fellow McElrea racing drivers Matt Campbell and Jaxon Evans and replicate their success,” Murray continued.

“I wouldn’t have been able to get to this point in my career if it wasn’t for the amazing support of my family, McElrea Racing and everyone who has helped me along the way.”

McElrea has been racing Porsches since 2018 finishing as the runner-up in the second tier Sprint Challenge Series.

Troy Bundy head of motorsport Porsche Cars Australia is delighted to have seen Murray grow.

“Like all the juniors that have come through our programme,” said Bundy. “It’s been personally rewarding to see Cooper’s development and outright pace mature in both our series, ever since his first season with us in 2018 – which was then the GT3 Cup Challenge (Porsche Sprint Challenge).

“Despite his young age, he has been a force within Carrera Cup Australia the last two years, against arguably the strongest Pro drivers in the series history.”

Other Porsche Shootout participants from the Australian Series include Jordan Love, Dylan O’Keeffe on two occasions and Nick Foster.

The three-day Porsche Shootout will take place from November 23-25, however it is yet to be determined at what European racetrack.

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