Combo boasts winning drive
THEY are the close mates who grew up together, became work colleagues and have now won a state championship side-by-side.
But even speedway sidecar driver Brodie Cohen is adamant he didn’t see the last one coming.
Cohen and passenger Josh Murray were unstoppable at the weekend on their way to the Queensland sidecar championship in Bowen.
For Cohen it was his third title-winning effort but the first time he had completed it with Murray beside him.
The pair have only competed together for a number of months with their partnership struck up over a six-pack of beer and a lifelong bond.
“We are very good mates and grew up together but he hasn’t done a lot of sidecar racing,” Cohen said. “He had a go with another couple of riders a few years ago, but it is pretty cool having him in the sidecar with me.
“I talked him into it over a couple of beers, but it was only ever temporary. Each meeting he kept saying it was the last one he was going to do, but if we keep winning like this we might have to keep going.
“It is difficult forming a new partnership on track. He has to know what I am going to do a few seconds before I do it. He is putting his life in my hands and vice versa.
“You need good equipment and good engines, but it is working together that is most crucial. He has to create the drive on the back wheel, he has to get his weight right before I hit the throttle. The good thing is he is a good tradesman so he is a quick learner.”
Cohen has been on a tear this year with the state championship win his second in three weeks after taking out the 10th anniversary Garry Moon Memorial race at Bowen last month.
He also finished a gruelling fifth in the national championships in Adelaide this year after he copped “the rough end of the pineapple” following a racing incident.
The Townsville construction business operator will be back in the sidecar over the next couple of months ahead of another shot at the national title in Perth next March.
Murray has already made his intention clear to follow the driver across the Nullabor.
“We have had a massive year, in the last 12 months we raced New Zealand, Brisbane, Tamworth, Adelaide and Mildura,” he said. “We have three sidecars currently and we have one of the most professional teams in the sport.
“We finished second in the Oceania title last year, which is a world event, and we have just kept it rolling from there, a lot of effort goes into it.
“I have teamed up with Bernie Koppe at Mitch Australia this year.
“He builds the chassis for us and we have been doing a lot of research and development. We have built a couple of rocket ships that keep getting faster and faster.
“We will do some more RND on them over the next few months and be ready for the Australian titles.”