Cooper Hall has underlined the importance of his wildcard programme with Team 18 in his preparation for this year's Enduro Cup. Still adapting to Supercars machinery, the young driver says every race outing, including his first solo round at Ipswich Super440, has provided invaluable lessons about racing in the pack.
During that weekend, Hall secured a best finish of 18th in Race 2 on Saturday, but more importantly, he gained crucial experience in tyre management, race craft, and consistency while battling in the midfield. That knowledge is set to be a key asset when the pressure intensifies in the endurance rounds.
Alongside co-driver Craig Lowndes, Hall also completed a vital pre-enduro test at Queensland Raceway after their initial outing at The Bend was hampered by electrical gremlins. The session allowed the pair to fine-tune the car's setup and further strengthen their working relationship, something essential for the long-distance races ahead.
In the midst of his maiden Super2 season after stepping up from Porsche Carrera Cup, Hall admits he is still a 'blank book' eager to soak up knowledge. He has been leveraging the expertise of Team 18's regular drivers, Anton De Pasquale and David Reynolds, to accelerate his learning curve.
“The cool thing is, being my first year, I’m still a bit of a blank book,” Hall told Speedcafe. “I’m actually finding I’m blending the techniques that work from both of them and using that to my advantage. So, I’m still shifting in how I drive. That helps try and unlock some speed, but then it also helps unlock how we can set up the car. If I can drive a particular setup better, then we can find speed out of both combinations.”
Working with Lowndes and engineer Richard Hollway has been a breath of fresh air for Hall, as he grew up admiring both names. “I grew up listening to both those names, in all their work in main game when I was a kid,” he said. “Working with both of them has been definitely a breath of fresh air and heaps of fun. Our communication, technique, and style has basically gelled from the start. Craig and I have very similar driving techniques and we’re connecting well on how we want the car to feel.”
Unlike many junior drivers making their enduro debuts, Hall arrives with substantial pit stop and driver change experience. Before this year, he had never done proper driver changes, but opportunities at the Bathurst 12 Hour and Spa 24 Hour served as his learning ground. “All that went smoothly like I’ve been doing it for years because I actually have had half a year to be able to do that,” he added. This background has also taught him adaptability, a crucial skill in endurance racing. With a solid foundation, Hall and Lowndes are shaping up to be a formidable combination for the Enduro Cup.
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