Josh Cook hailed an ‘awesome’ first podium in the British Touring Car Championship after a late charge to third in the second race of the day at Rockingham.
Stuck in the midfield in Race One, Cook lined up in 14th for the day’s second race after his soft tyres had held him back in the earlier encounter.
But the Power Maxed Racing driver stole the headlines in race two as he carved his way through the field with a daring move on Adam Morgan at Brook, the final corner, on the final lap handing Cook a deserved third-place for his efforts.
And speaking to TouringCars.Net after the race, the 24 year-old was delighted to score a maiden podium finish – particularly in the style that he did.
“It’s awesome to do it in race two and not race three,” said Cook of his podium. “I think it shows that it was on outright pace from the car – I’m chuffed to bits.
“I’m really happy with everything that the team gave me and to do it from P14 as well [is great]. It wasn’t as if it was from sixth to a podium or anything, I really had to fight for that.
“I had a great race with Adam Morgan. He drove really maturely and I think we managed to do it without touching each other which is rare in touring cars.”
Cook found the Deene hairpin to be a particularly fruitful overtaking spot as he dispatched Hunter Abbott, Jeff Smith, Rob Austin and Colin Turkington into the corner on separate occasions.
But analysing his overtakes, Cook said that he had relied partly on faith in his and his rivals’ abilities.
“I’m from Clios – that’s the only way I can really describe it,” he laughed. “I just really had to nail it; a couple of times I thought ‘I’m not quite going to make it’ but I just pitched the car in and made them stick.
“I really am chuffed to bits, and starting eighth we’ve got even more chance of getting a win.”
Cook checked that statement with the context of a first start with significant ballast, but insisted he was aiming for the front of the field in his Chevrolet Cruze.
“I’ve got a bit of weight and I have no experience of that at all – other than in stock hatch when I used to have 70 kilograms of ballast.
“I know that I’ve got to look after my tyres, I know it might be a bit more complicated, but I’m confident.”
Cook is also on the verge of securing the Jack Sears’ Trophy in Race Three, provided that he makes the finish.