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Eric in victory lane with Billy Moyer at Magnolia Motor Speedway

January 23rd, 2010 - Eric opened the 2010 NeSmith Late Model Series National tour on Saturday at Columbus Speedway in Columbus, Mississippi with the 10th Annual Winter Classic. The $2,500 to win event saw a stout field of 38 Crate Late Models on hand. After turning in a solid qualifying performance, Cooley locked into the fourth starting spot for the 40 lap main event. Early in the event Eric fought an ill handling car as he faded as far as the 11th position. However, by the race's midway point, the handling on his #33c Victory Circle M1 Chassis By Moyer started to come back to him, and he mounted a charge back to a 5th place finish.

January 10th, 2010 - Eric Cooley kicked off his 2010 season by entering the Super Late Model portion of the 19th Annual Ice Bowl at Talladega Short Track Despite never competing in the Super Late Model division at Talladega Short Track, Cooley qualified 14th fastest in his group, resulting in him starting 14th in his heat race. On a track where passing was difficult, Cooley would find his way to a solid, sixth place finish, which earned him a second starting position in one of Sunday afternoon's b-main events. In the b-main, Eric would run in the second position for the entire event to earn a transfer spot to the feature, where he started in the 22nd position. He would ride for a few laps in the feature on a track, where passing was quick difficult, before ultimately deciding to save his equipment as he retired to a 22nd place finish.

December 12th, 2009 - Cooley Motorsports wrapped up a very successful 2009 season over the weekend at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Florida in the NeSmith Crate World Championship. The $10,000 to win event, drew sixty entries, and in group qualifying on Friday night, Eric qualified second fastest to earn the outside front row starting spot for his heat race. He would blast to the lead at the drop of the green flag and went on to take the heat win to earn the sixth starting spot in Saturday night's 100 lap finale.

Early in Saturday's 100 lap event, Eric had a strong car and battled his way as high as the fourth position. However, as the race began to approach the midway point the track began to drastically change and so did the handling on his car. He would fade several spots with an ill-handling car, and as a result decided to duck into the pit area for some changes under caution. After returning to the tail of the field, he would find that the handling was no better, and he ultimately retired from the event on lap 78 to a 22nd place finish.

Even though the finish is not what the team had hoped for, they were extremely happy with their 2009 season accomplishments, which included the NeSmith National title, Columbus Speedway Track Championship, and Magnolia Motor Speedway Track Championship. Eric and everyone with Cooley Motorsports would like to thank all of their fans and sponsors for their support throughout the 2009 campaign!

November 28th, 2009 - Eric had a busy weekend as he pulled double duty in the Super Late Model and NeSmith Late Model division at Columbus Speedway in Columbus, Mississippi for the 9th Annual Southern Belle Possum Town Grand Prix.

On Friday, Eric entered the NeSmith Crate Late Model Invitational. With 32 Crate Late Models on hand, Cooley qualified 5th fastest overall, which resulted in him starting outside front row of the second heat race. He would take the win in the heat race to earn the outside front row starting spot for the 30 lap main event. At the drop of the green flag, Cooley fell behind Mathew Turner as the pair battled on an extremely slick surface. Eric would chase Turner for the first 19 laps before using lapped traffic to slip by as he went on to lead the last 11 laps en route to the $2,000 win!

In the Super Late Model division, Eric competed against a field of 30 competitors in the $2,000 to win event. He would lay down an impressive qualifing lap, which resulted in him being third fastest in his group. As a result, he locked into the eighth starting spot for the 30 lap feature. However, bad luck would strike Cooley on the pace lap when his right front suspension broke, bringing his night to an end before it ever got underway.

On Saturday, Cooley was back in action with the NeSmith National Late Model Series as 38 Late Models entered the event. He would qualify second fastest in time trials behind only Ronnie Johnson. Via his qualifying effort he started on the pole for the 40 lap, $2,500 to win event. Johnson took the lead at the outset of the event with Cooley in pursuit. Johnson would build as large as a straightaway advantage before Cooley caught him in traffic late in the race but was unable to make the winning pass. At the finish line Cooley was credited with a solid second place finish. Eric also claimed the win in the NeSmith Late Model Series Race of Regions, which pitted the top four drivers from each region against one another in a ten lap dash.

Eric also competed in the Super Late Model division for the second straight night. In group qualifications, he fell just short of locking into the feature as he qualified 5th fastest. As a result, he started second in a b-main event. He would lead flag to flag in the b-main to take the win and the transfer to the feature event. Eric would start 13th in the feature, but early in the event front end suspension woes would trouble him, sending him pitside for the night.