Josh Cooper crowned 2026 NZ ClubSport Champion

New Zealand’s best grassroots competitors converged on Ashburton over the weekend for the 2026 New Zealand ClubSport Championship, hosted by the Ashburton Car Club, with 30 competitors travelling from across the country to contest the national title.

The championship was contested across two days of competition, showcasing the variety and accessibility that defines ClubSport. Saturday featured both a Motorkhana and Autocross on grass, while Sunday’s deciding event was a Bent Sprint on Bonningtons Road just outside Ashburton.

At the conclusion of the three-event contest, Josh Cooper emerged as the 2026 New Zealand ClubSport Champion, piloting his Toyota Corolla to a narrow overall victory ahead of Craig Townsend and his Leyland Mini.

“It’s a pretty surreal experience,” said Cooper upon being crowned the champion.

“The Motorkhana went alright, not perfect, but I managed to claw it back on the Autocross and the Bent Sprint. The Autocross was really cool. When we broke through that top surface and we were on gravel, it was really cool.”

Cooper’s championship was built on consistency across the weekend. He opened his campaign with a fifth-place finish in Saturday morning’s Motorkhana before narrowly missing out on Autocross honours later in the day. On Sunday, Cooper delivered a strong drive to finish third in the Bent Sprint – a result that ultimately secured him enough points to take the overall title.

Townsend finished second overall after claiming victory in Saturday’s Autocross event, while Adrian Curtis, driving a Suzuki Swift, rounded out the podium in third overall. Curtis had earlier taken top honours in the Motorkhana.

Sunday’s Bent Sprint was won by Bjorn Cowdrey in a Honda Civic, with his performance helping him secure fifth overall in the championship standings.

Also contested across the weekend were the Junior ClubSport Championship and the Women in Motorsport Cup.

Blake Cooper, younger brother of overall champion Josh, claimed the Junior ClubSport Championship in his Honda Civic, finishing an impressive tenth overall in the national standings.

Meanwhile, Lily Chapman secured the Women in Motorsport Cup, guiding her Mazda MX-6 to 14th overall.

MotorSport New Zealand acknowledges the efforts of the Ashburton Car Club, along with the many officials and volunteers who contributed to delivering a successful national championship event.

Congratulations go to all competitors who travelled from around the country to take part, and particularly to the newly crowned champions.