Creditable placing for Gisborne’s Cook

DRIVING HARD: Daniel Cook (77G) in action at the Eastland Group Raceway. Picture by Liam Clayton

GISBORNE saloon car racer Daniel Cook finished a creditable seventh overall in the highly competitive Valvoline saloon car series raced over the Christmas-New Year holiday period.

The event was held over seven meetings in nine days across the North Island.

“To finish seventh in a field of 21 cars was pretty satisfying,” 25-year-old Cook (77G) said.

It was the third time he had competed in the series, which attracted the top saloon car drivers in the country.

“This was my best result so far.”

Cook was in third place overall in the early stages of the series and was right on the pace.

“But I had some mechanical problems and a couple of DNFs that did not help and that cost me a higher placing on the series points table,” he said.

“Overall, it was an another awesome trip and another awesome experience.”

Cook, elder brother of Ethan Cook (76G), had a big support crew who followed him around the invitation-only series.

“I would not have been able to do it without all that great support and I appreciate it very much.”

He was the only Gisborne driver invited to take part in the series.

It was won by Mt Maunganui driver Chris Cowling (3NZ), whose brother Steve (1NZ) was second overall. Another Mount driver was third.

The series has set Cook up nicely for the Eastlite Carriers New Zealand Saloon Car Championship to be raced in Gisborne on January 15 and 16 at the Eastland Group Raceway.

“The amount of track time and such competitive racing has helped me prepare for the national champs,” Cook said.

So far the championships have 43 confirmed entries.