Benjamin Stead at Cooters Mechanical named South Burnett’s best mechanic for 2022

From the whirlwind world of speedway racing to keeping the region’s cars in tip-top shape, this is the South Burnett’s best mechanic as voted by you! Meet the winner and see what sets them apart here:

From the whirlwind world of speedway racing to keeping the region’s cars in tip top shape, mechanic Benjamin Stead of Cooters Mechanical has gained a loyal following in the industry.

Mr Stead and his business partner Darren Rey converted Kingaroy Brake Radiator and Mechanical Services into Cooters about two and a half years ago and have quickly gained a following of loyal motor heads.

Now the Kingaroy-based mechanic has been voted in by South Burnett Times readers as the region’s best mechanic for 2022.

Benjamin Stead at Cooters Mechanical has been named as the South Burnett’s best mechanic for 2022.

Mr Stead said he credits much of his mechanical expertise to Gary at BC Auto Repairs, who took him under his wing after a horror speedway crash left him with a broken back and unable to race.

“And I learned a lot from Gary at BCA. He’s bloody good at what he does, so everything he taught me I was able to put into my own business,” he said.

He also met Mr Rey during his decade-long stint at BCA, and eventually the opportunity to go halves on Cooters was too good for the soon-to-be business partners to pass up.

Benjamin Stead at Cooters Mechanical has been named as the South Burnett’s best mechanic for 2022.

Mr Stead said the team’s winning formula stemmed from their vast and versatile experience with road cars, speedway cars, and even vintage cars.

“Darren is pretty old school. So I guess the fact that we actually work on the older stuff and rebuild the motors ourselves helps us stand out,” he said.

“Because I was always speedway and he was always drag cars, I’ve learned a lot working with him.

“He’s someone who’s really good with performance and can make an engine work better than most, and I’m more mechanic, so we help each other.”

Mr Stead said he and Mr Rey are thankful for the support they’ve received and hope to continue servicing the community for a long time.