The Kirkstall-raised driver, who honed his skills at Allansford's Premier Speedway, will start his Ohsweken campaign this weekend.

He will race weekly at the Canadian circuit while also touring tracks in North America as he settles into life as a full-time competitor.

Cooley, 23, said he would race four to fives times a week - in either a 360 sprintcar or outlaw kart - for Glenn Styres Racing.

He left Australia earlier this year for the opportunity and finished seventh in the USCS Winter Heat Series.

"The biggest adjustment racing overseas is the seat time I've been getting every week," he told The Standard.

"We have already completed 18 nights of racing in two-and-a-half months and our season is just starting up now.

"The goal for this season is to get a win and some top-threes. We are in a really good position now with myself and crew chief Steve Moulten who has been fantastic and we've working really well together to achieve this."

Being switched on for regular racing was an area Cooley identified as a priority prior to his departure.

"I have adapted very well to the travel and racing schedule and we're able to do all our car maintenance in a very good and efficient way to be ready for the next race and have everything 100 per cent," he said.

"It's very different from home. We couldn't race a lot at home due to funding so it's been a massive adjustment being able to not stress about money and to just hop in the car and give it a 100 per cent."

Cooley said the most eye-opening experience was the varying track conditions like "the big 3/8 1/2 mile race tracks which we don't have much at home".

"It's been a great learning curve and apprenticeship you can say," he said.

"The biggest lesson I've learned racing on these glass, slick race tracks, which we don't have at home, is to learn to slow down and search for the moisture.

"It has been a really good learning curve as well as setting up the car for those conditions."

Cooley, who is running sixth in points in the Southern Ontario Sprints Series, has settled into life halfway across the world.

"It's been good living here in Canada. A bad part would be the snow and adjustment driving on the wrong side of the road and side of the car," he said.

"But there's beautiful scenery in Canada like home and people have been very welcoming."

MORE SPORT: