Cook brothers keen to do better

BROTHERS IN ARMS: Daniel (77G) and Ethan Cook (Now back to 76G from 1NZ) will drive in the New Zealand speedway saloon car Grand Prix at the Huntly track this weekend. They have had to basically rebuild the front of Daniel's car after a big hit in the New Zealand final last weekend, but they are ready for this weekend. File picture by Liam Clayton

SPEEDWAY

THE Cook brothers will look for better results this weekend when they take on the field in the New Zealand saloon car Grand Prix at Kihikihi Speedway in the Waikato.

Ethan Cook, now 76G again, relinguished his 1NZ crown last weekend when he finished fourth in the New Zealand championships at Huntly.

Brother Daniel (77G) was running in third place in the final at Huntly, after just one lap of the 25-lap final, when he was hit by another car and shunted into the wall.

Daniel's car was too badly damaged to continue.

The brothers and their team have been flat out every night this week rebuilding the car for this weekend.

“We basically had to cut the front off it and rebuild it,” Ethan said.

Daniel Cook went from No.6 on the grid in last weekend's New Zealand final.

“He was ready for a podium, I reckon, until he was hit from behind,” Ethan said.

“He dealt with it really well.”

Ethan Cook started from No.13 on the grid.

“I had two firsts, a third and a fifth in four of the five qualifying heats, but in Heat 2 I had battery and alternator failure, so that cost me.”

Despite starting so far back in the field, he finished fourth.

“I felt really good about that performance,” he said.

“I was stoked. I was ready to pass into third place when I ran out of laps.”

On social media it was described as “an amazing drive”.

The brothers posted on social media after the New Zealand titles: “A massive congratulations to the podium getters after a wicked weekend of racing.”

Ethan said he and his brother were looking forward to racing on the Kihikihi track this weekend.

“I haven't raced on it before but I hear it's good.”