Wheelie king in winning form

Press, 9 January 1986, Page 3

Wheelie king in winning form

By

ROD DEW

The spectacular United States rider, John Cook, is determined to maintain his grip on the Champion Spark Plug World Jubilee Series when the Canterbury round is held at the Handy Hire Speedway, Ruapuna Park, on Sunday afternoon. He started the series with a flamboyant win in the opening round at Tauranga, consolidated his position with another win in the second round, and has held the lead ever since — no mean achievement against a field of world-class speedway riders. “Making the rostrum is definitely on my programme,” he said yesterday. “I like the track. It is more a car track than anything else, but the width of it and the slope are to my liking. I think we are going to get the best racing of the series so far on Sunday. The better riders can use the banking to advantage,” Cook said.

Unpredictable, but never boring, Cook is known as “the wheelie king” and “Cowboy Cook” for his spectacular style. Recently, he has added a new discipline to his riding without losing his unofficial title as the world’s most exciting rider. He won the United States championship last year, and finished a creditable seventh in the world championship final with a score of nine points. He has also ridden in the last two World Team finals for the United States.

He started his motorcycle career in moto-cross, and this probably explains his enthusiasm for wheelies,

and for the Suzuki Quad Racer (a four-wheel dirt bike) which the international riders have been using for recreation. Aged 27, Cook has been racing speedway for nine years and has been in the British league for the last five. This year he has his sights firmly fixed on winning the world championship, and hopes to enlist the aid of the by then newly retired New Zealand former world champion, Ivan Mauger, in his preparation. He recently received a telegram confirming his position as captain of Ipswich in the British league this year, and is looking forward to the challenges ahead. “Things are really looking good,” he said. Cook is very pleased to be in New Zealand. He has enormous respect for Mauger. “I was very honoured to be selected for his World Jubilee Series,” he said. He sees the series as an ideal opportunity for racing and training when most of his rivals are resting in the northern off-season.

Chief among his challengers on Sunday will be the reigning world long track champion, Simon Wigg (England), and Mauger, at 46 still very much a threat at the highest levels. Wigg currently holds second place in the series, with Mauger third. In spite of some niggling after-ef-fects of the dreadful crash he suffered in Poland last year, Mauger is expected to perform well on his home track.

This will be his swansong in Canterbury, and he will

be anxious to finish with a flourish. He retires from all competition after the final round of the series in Auckland next month, leaving a record of success which will probably never be matched in the sport. The list of potential winners does not end with the present leading trio. Included in the very talented international field is Bobby Schwartz (United States), a rider who is no stranger to Ruapuna Park- Twice he has been a member of winning world best pairs championship winning teams, and on his day is capable of beating anybody. Larry Ross, the multiple New Zealand champion, is also expected to make a bold showing. Others in the 12-strong field are Einar Kyllingstad (Norway), Ryszard Francyszn (Poland), Kym Mauger (New Zealand), Juha Moksunen (Finland), Neil Evitts (England), Grzegorg Dzikowski (Poland), and Olli Tyrvainen (Finland). All are top international riders.

Francyszyn, who turned 21 on Christmas Day, is the holder of Poland’s silver helmet, traditionally held by Poland’s best under-20 rider.

Kyllingstad has been the Norway champion for the last two seasons, and Moksunen, aged 19, is regarded as one of Europe’s most promising young riders. He is the current Finnish champion. The second British rider in the field, Evitts, is also a very capable rider. He is the captain of the Halifax team in the British league, and the current Yorkshire champion.