“Before I had time to THINK, I was in the WALL!” – MAX COOK

The second of our two chats from Oulton Park as Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki’s super-talented Max Cook sits down with us to talk about his step up to British Superbikes and his journey to get their. There have been huge disappointments along the way but with some great success to outweigh the negatives. No ego, a wicked sense of humour and has a great career ahead of him.

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as I walked in the workshop and I see everyone’s all all always up and about and they’re all sat down and they like oh I’m in trouble because I’ve been away for three years you get quickly like not not say forgotten about but people don’t really know who you are and I sort of got hooked when I got the boat back I was like road racing like that would be awesome and I don’t know what happened but I must have got stage fright or something but after two laps of Sil I got arm pumped once I get that Podium and I can stand there I’ll feel like a true super fight Rider like I’ve actually made a Mark I honestly I’ve not lived enough life I don’t think to have enough important decisions welcome to Alton Park in beautiful leafy chesher this is round two of the Bennett British super bike Championship with bikes going out already as you can hear around us give you a bit of the atmosphere of Sunday at Alton Park we’re on the roof of completely motorbikes Kawasaki’s Hospitality unit because the next episode from Alton Park is their younger Rider Mike cook he made his name in the junior classes in the British talent cup before heading over to Spain to become the next British hope in Grand Prix that didn’t work out as well as he’d hoped so it’s back to the UK in stock 6 and ultimately to become a Bennett British super bike rider that’s Max cook this is off track the motorcycle racing podcast Max cook completing motorbikes fs3 Kawasaki how are you I’m good thank you Dave yeah how are you I’m good thank you mate welcome to the show it’s been a while yeah it’s nice to be back it’s my first one since July 2022 wasn’t it you’ve been looking it off in your diary no no I just remember it I remember Bron yeah baking hot in the ugly and Co trailer MH it was it was great to catch up with you then but there’s a lot happened since then you were heading towards the stock six Crown at the time which was successful at yes it’s a monster season absolutely superb season which then led to the the super bike debut last year before we get on to this year tell me about the transition to a Kawasaki zx10rr um was a bit nuts to be honest um obviously you know the Jump’s going to be massive powerwise you know go from a standard 600 cc bike to One with we got a key to turn it on and the indicator button still there obviously it’s a standard bike to uh fullblown kawazaki Fran kawazaki super bike one of the best teams in the most competitive National championship in the world so it’s like not only the the bikes gone so much faster but the competition as well has gone absolutely through the roof because I’m sure every single person on the grid in British Super Bowl Al would could absolutely smoke a stock six race if they were just to do it tomorrow so you know the competition was has gone up loads so yeah it was definitely like a sink or swim like I mean I’ve been thrown right into deepend what I’m trying to say and I’m glad I managed to uh float up to the top and do a good job you absolutely did and when you watch sort of Ryan vicker’s previously he was the last one to go stock six to super bike and it is it’s that that depth of field and the experience that they have absolutely can’t be underestimated how old were we when you stepped up 20 yes I was 20 I was 19 when I got the news yeah and then 20 was the first full year which I don’t know see when you rock up to the first test cuz I I remember you did one you did like a Shakedown at Donington didn’t you I did a track there was cold and a bit where it was actually before the last round of brands in the 2022 cuz he was on the bench R six and people were sort of thinking well there was actually a chance I could have done the last round of Brands straight in the super fight class like not there was like right in the championship fight yeah yeah yeah cuz Rory got injured at Alon so actually he there was a a big well he actually didn’t do it so uh there was a chance I couldn’t do it and then there was that with binge obviously or with that year and we had a super sport like wild card all lined up and Co C sponsorship and it were like pretty cool so I like couldn’t believe really what what was going on so that was pretty like mental part of my life to be fair so uh but now I’m I’m glad I didn’t do brands on the super fight to be honest because I would have been absolutely Stone last I think I would have it would have take it would have really hit me out and uh and yeah I’m glad that things all figured out the way they did and the super sport bike with bch and Carl Cox Motorsport it wasn’t a particularly bad outing was it for your first time on the super sport bike no that was awesome um obviously I rode an R six all year that year anyway and then I we did a super sport um because to be honest I thought that was where we were going to go for 2023 were me to be riding in super sports so uh we did that wild card which was an awesome experience to be fair but it is just like BSB British super bikes but just for 600s because St six you can get away with not putting in new tires every session and cutting Corners here and there and we rolled out of fp1 I it’s the first time bch have done it as well in Super Sport and we rolled out a pit and everyone’s got new tires on and I’m one we old scrubs from the round before I’m like all right maybe we’re on the back foot already and you know it’s just all learning it was a massive learning weekend and it was a great experience and I had a load of exposure from it as well obviously with that oneoff liy it looked really cool um I was a champion at the time with a stop six so a lot of people were were watching as well and um I pretty pretty happy with my performance you know I was in the Battle for fourth um got up to Fourth as well led the group for a bit and was battling with some like big names as well considering like you know Bing at the time had no data for their bike and you know I didn’t really know what to expect and to be honest I pushed so hard and um you know I did a really competitive lot time we fair at end of the race by the end of the weekend things were looking really good [Laughter] uh it’s okay all right Absolut not a problem not a problem special guest in we can’t work out where to put the recording sign to let people we can’t plug it in outside yeah oh look at that no it’s it’s now Idiot proof let’s hope so we’re in a British super by pdic really that’s sure sorry no no it’s okay small interlude yeah BR hat on the superport bike you were talking about how you were competitive at the end of the weekend bch no data but then looking to go super sport in 23 mhm when did the opportunity then arise to go to British super B with at the time who was the sponsor time chesh moldin Kawasaki yeah so you know the really iang in salude again is is that Jordan again oh no is it Darren [Laughter] [Music] if the team boss wants his GNT the team boss can have his GN what the what do you say it was idiot proof who was the first one see that’s of course in it Dar fry the first person to ignore the idiot the idiot proof uh IDI recording sign recording sign we’ve got a on red recording sign on the door behind us behind the camera and the first person to ignore the big red sign that says recording is a team boss darl fry said thanks mate Max let’s carry on hopefully they’ll get any more interruptions if somebody comes down those stairs from the roof I’m probably going end up flicking their ear or something so when the opportunity to then to ride the super bike for chesher malin’s cow saki at the start of last year when when did that change from Super Sport to super bike so it was all you know lined up for super B you know I’ve not signed anything at this point but is it after br’s hatch um you know it was still like on on the cards as well like njel was you know I’m sure you know he was really pushing to get me onto it and you know but there it’s not just NJ involved you’ve got the guys at kawazaki you got the the title sponsor you know there’s so many people who they got to keep happy and they’ve got to to pick the right um the right right uh Rider Ain there yeah but I was got to be the right F I don’t I don’t live too far from the workshop and I was going on a track date to El Maria um I was going on the track day to El Mar on my ZX10R like on Darren’s practice bike and he let me borrow it like oh mint so I went to the workshop uh just because I do some checks on it and you know just did all change did a service for it before I leaving you serviced your own bike before you went out yeah yeah yeah yeah um well which is fine like I en it no I enjoyed doing it so I I was just giving it a once over and I was actually in the workshop on my own because it was like just after Brands I think or maybe a week week or two after and um I seen there was a a piece of paper on the toolbx and it had a load of list of writers names on it and the ones highlighted were the ones like they wanted okay and I don’t want to say like any names I look I I there and I highlighted I am cuz it went through like a a phase I was like all right Mega and then um anyway so I came back uh it was like going back and forth like this n was yeah yeah Max is looking good and oh no Max I don’t think it’s looking good by the way you know when stuff’s happen so you know it ain’t going your way so okay right so I was like Nel I’m coming into the workshop um this was uh probably like early November to pick up that Darren’s practice part because I need to go and load it up for this track day and he was like okay great um well actually we’ll all have a meet in there so um like yeah being prepared sort of thing I was like all right me and then I got there and then see Nel whatever have sat down I think were me Darren um Matt and uh and Dan the mechanic all sat around in the this this like table as I walked in the workshop and I see everyone’s all all always up and about and they’re all sat down and they like oh I’m in trouble or something like that reaction being called into like their teacher’s office and oh no and then so anyway and then uh I sat there and then saying is yeah we got you to Super flight ride the next year and I like jumped about my just like that first thing and I was like no way and I like and then and then I now you’re taking a piss a you cuz been on about it for so long and I like looking around see if there were like a camera somewhere they in camera I thought they were like taking a piss but no they they were like well happy I couldn’t believe it and um you know it was it it would Mega to be fair just to have that I don’t know just obviously I’ve had a a tough couple of years coming back into this padic and sort of doing it on my own and like trying to trying to find a path like myself obviously with the help of Nigel and my sponsors and then to finally sort of make it and I couldn’t really believe it to be honest so it was a ride that was earned yeah then now just s the S of fs3 um has been a long time supporter yours hasn’t he he’s he’s kind of helped bring you along in into the pad and been a longtime supporter and sponsor in um of your career tell me about that time that before we come to to the good stuff with the super bike because you’ve had a a fantastic transition to that the difficulty of being on the cusp of GP and going through kind of what Casey o’ Gorman’s doing now what Eddie OA is doing now going through Junior GP and being Britain’s Next Great Hope in GPS but then it all changed yeah tell tell me about the time in junior GP and what the road was to come back to the British Paddock yeah so uh you know I was on don’t know I did the British T cup um with me and was out there in 2018 me and Rory Skinner were riding um and I actually got third in 2018 in that briti tourament cup season um and that was enough I think potential to let the lights of dorna to to see that I I guess had a bit about me and they promoted me into the junior world Championship Junior mot 3 world championship were you the youngest of the three yeah was it Rory was it Thomas Str yeah and then me yeah yeah so yeah I the youngest of the three um and to be fair if if I didn’t like win or Podium I fell off to be fair and ju because there wasn’t many rounds um it didn’t really go in my favor to to be honest but uh no I think you know I had good good potential and I was perhaps the only one who could stay with Rory um and during that year I was doing the rebel rookies as well so you know that that was a really cool experience um so for 2019 yeah I was on this ladder and Dawn a supported Rider I guess um for you know the British talent team and they need British Riders you know and they still do they do um so you know everything was going really well and then I got a podium in Red Bull rookies and um stuff was going real good and 2020 um I was still you know in a British team and I I broke my pelvis halfway through that year and that year obviously weird for everybody um but basically we had two rounds on the same weekend so it were like five day weekends and we had like two Sundays we had we had like a full day of racing on Sunday and then another full day racing on Monday but the Sunday will be round one and then the Monday would be round two so like I missed like two or three rounds it’s a ridiculous amount of points to miss out and and I broke my hip but then I came back and then had a really good showing and you know was in with a front group and then I thought things were going pretty good um I had like Carmelo ESP on the phone and that like tell me like doing mint and then and then in November um unfortunately I just said there’s nothing we can do for you Max um just like that so I didn’t really know what to do they couldn’t really believe it really um obviously cuz yeah it’s a massive step up anyway to only be given you know a year and a half obviously I’m well grateful for it and it was a huge learning experience for me but after that I really weren too short to do myself because it’s mid November it’s late isn’t it I didn’t know just sorted exactly everything’s done you know and I I I thought do I come back do Super Sport and if I can it’s going to be a load of money because I’m not an established rider in the British super pdic because I’ve been away for 3 years you get quickly like not not say forgotten about but people don’t really know who you are and what the competition is like over in in Spain as well so it is um very tough part of of you know my career I guess you could say but and then njel was like look Max we’re going to do stop six I’ll buy you the bike but you know you’re just going to have to run it yourself fair enough yeah totally fair um and you know that year I learned so much you know I had got you know I just started Drive in I had my van um that was the the race truck as you like and uh yeah had had me bark in there all my tools and stuff and I’d unload it into Gary Wilson’s warning and Gary Wilson was uh runs a mega British tent Cup team and you know that’s who I won the championship with in 2017 so it were nice to be back in there and I was next to me brother as well so that was cool but then I had to sort of be on the spanners and then I couldn’t really crash because I couldn’t afford to fix it and I didn’t know how to fix it either and it was such like a you know obviously you’re from hero to zero sort of thing and then I you know I was doing like odd jobs just to earn money for the weekend to come racing I picked up golf balls at driving range I just I worked for Hermes for two years um that was all right to be fair I know it’s it weren’t too bad it kept me fit so that that was good um and that was all just to go racing at the weekend um and that year was just tough because I honestly thought I’d come back and almost win start six the first year to be honest I thought that you know everything I learned in Spain I could just come back and go boom right and be right up there but it weren’t like that especially doing it everything on my own you know like just it was really really tough one thing I know from my time years ago working with Jordan weaving when he stepped up from motostar as it was at the time to stock six it’s the single biggest step in domestic motorcycle racing that you can make m in terms of weight and power going from a super sport to a super bike isn’t as big a weight a weight move or power move but from a a 60 yard horsepower Honda you on Honda yeah Honda you yeah the 60 horsepower Honda to double in a bit more horsepower and nearly triple double at least doubling a bit the weight with new lines and everything else it’s not straightforward to go from Moto 3 to to a stalker no and also it just the tracks I had a massive wakeup call um obviously spending so much of my time during the years riding like herth and Valencia where there’s just like yards like meters and meters of runoff forever just runoff hello and lit the first Alon Park on this bik just picked it up from MSS this bike I’m like oh Mega like sweet um picked up come to this official test at Alton Park um it was June 2021 it start middle of 21 it was a late start really nice yeah good weather and whatever and I hit a false neutral going into turn one of Alon and next thing you know I’m in the wall turn one’s fast yeah turn one literally Force neutral bikes all over the place let the clutch out bang him in the wall before I’ve even sorted anything out before I time to think I’m in the wall and I’m like I just couldn’t believe it you know the bik was a mess and you know I just you know if that was anywhere else I would have just stood it up ran on and come back on would you too easy and that that’s what really sort of woke me up coming back to England so to do it yourself did has that given you the ground I mean you’re you’re a grounded fell anyway you there’s no um there’s Nock star about it and now that’s something I love you just you go about your business you come to race you love your racing and you You’re great fun to chat we see each other in the padic anyway you always great fun to chat to but going on to that season to do it yourself what was the biggest thing you found out about yourself in terms of you as a person and your riding uh to be fair I don’t I’ve never been asked this question before to be honest um but I think I I had a lot of like disbelief to be honest because I feel like the off track duties was so like massive um and I I couldn’t actually focus on what I was doing on the circuit because when I when I had my helmet on I was going around racing I just thought like have I done this or have I done that and it’s just there’s just stuff going around where you don’t you’re not 100% confident obviously I’m you know I would was 18 at the time so couldn’t really think about what what I would doing um you know and there’s a lot a lot going on and you know it’s distractions yeah yeah he spending a lot of money you know to go racing every weekend so by the end of it you know I was like probably going to have to to stop like I can’t do another year of that because it’s just not not worth it you know because I’ll just be stressing too much about you know can’t crash the B I find it incredible that and and I I quite I love the stories of the the the riders that have had to work for it and you’ve you’ve had the chance with DNA it didn’t work out you can similar to Danny Kent I sat with Danny yesterday and was talking to him about his time in motor 2 and the time that he had in between and then coming back into National Superstar as a m 3 world champion like that’s that’s a brave move and the same for you to understand that you’re like right well this is what we’ve got to do if I want to get in that padd nobody’s taking any notice of me because I’m a small bik Rider and nobody’s going to take a PT because I’m unproven on the British tracks despite Danny’s obvious Talent you’re obvious Talent you don’t get out to Spain and Donna for no reason and to come back and then to have to do that it it takes a certain kind of determination to get through that season yeah like I think I see for me racing racing is just my life and I can’t see my life without racing and that is the only uh the only thing I can do and I had just had to put all all my efforts into getting through that one year um and there was points where I couldn’t really see the light um but then there was other points where a whole weekend went really well and I managed to get on the podium um that year twice I managed to get on the podium which was actually really good and it at it felt like a win obviously for all of that that hard months of you know that hard months emotionally and stuff and then to finally get a third place in the dry snare was like honestly it felt like a win it was absolutely like mental but it was yeah the winds winds they’re not always stood at the top of the podium spraying a fizzy about MH wins are closing the Gap to the leader if you finish 10th or your first points or your first Podium and I completely get that and it’s that that keeps you going and that’s the kind thing that you deserve for the effort that you put in to go we can do this mhm yeah exactly and that that’s where it was it was so good and then then I sort of fig started to figure out this 600 as well CU a big junk for for me as well like machine wise and started lines are completely different yeah exactly yeah everything were different and then towards the end of the year when we went back to the tracks when we do the revisits at the end of the year sort of managed to figure everything out and then I started to be right up there in the top five so so things did go really good and you know I had so much help uh from Gary wolson that year as well uh you know who who helped me loads growing up and obviously n bu load of sponsors who who could do tires and and then that’s where things went interesting for for the year after um when I went with with binch um so I binch for the team to be on they had Zach cor draw in 2021 so they were the team that you know always looked up to anyway um and uh it kind of went about I didn’t have anything sorted um that year we actually um what it kind of sort of what kind of done with racing in a way I weren’t too sure what was going to happen and it was a really weird month it probably only month but it felt like a long time yeah but it it um months a long time in racing yeah and it was after October um it probably like end of October I want to say Danny Webb Rings me out uh me me and Danny were really close growing up um he L he’s looked after me for quite a long time it was almost like got like a manager Mentor bit of guidance he’s got a load of contacts he’s been around for a while he’s been around a while Bo yeah so he yeah he he does um know a load of people and anyway he just Rings me up like Max you got anything sorted I’m like no nothing and he’s alot I think we need to meet him with bch I’ve just just had a phone call just like rang him up do you want to go tonight we’ll go to Mansfield tonight so I’m like yeah let’s go so he picks me up and we go go to Mansfield Meet Dave for the first time and um at that point I think he had a few people already like lined up because it’s one of those teams isn’t it that people up for before the end of the season it’s yeah excuse me Dave exactly roel buy it next year yeah exactly I think they nearly won the championship and um but it was at this point Dave didn’t take a lot of notice of me that year cuz obviously I were behind bch I weren’t really a rival to to Zack cordoy that year 21 21 Zack cadroy got second Jack Nixon won Jack Nixon won it didn’t he on the sike got second yeah I think talber got third Joe that’s right that went down to the final round it George Stanley I think was fourth I think yeah he was fourth yeah yeah um so yeah so that year I never really rival bch um sve I don’t think really knew much about me at the time um and you know Dave he I guess he didn’t keep much of an eye on the junior like categories or the junior m 3 Championship either so he didn’t really have a clue was to run into if I’m sure you watch it now he’d agree I don’t think you really know um but Danny was like proper big in the A and that was quite a situation where I’ve learned a little bit recently but I were terrible at the start cuz like I’ve never really been bigged up or anything and I don’t really like showing off and or I don’t really know how to put it but Danny were like proper biging me up and he were like Max you got to say this you gotta be confident like because you gotta have this right you’re one of the right you’re one of the the the Riders I know best with the least of an ego really thank you you’re welcome car thank you but then anyway so I think Danny did most of the talking that that evening came back and I think things went you know things went pretty smooth and then and then from there it was um I think it went back and forth a few times Nigel then got involved was telling them about this and then njel was like um look we will sell this bike that I bought for you this z x 6 we will sell this to fund one year of racing with bch and after that that’s it you know what I mean that’s it so it was all all your eggs into this one basket and um my other sponsor Neil rawal ten you may have seen they’ve been with me for ages it’s been Neil and njre they’ve been my two biggest sponsors for about six seven years so Neil were like proper excited as well and then um then we finally got announced at the bike show I think so many people were like like well happy for me like because they seen I managed to get into this team because and the people that knew knew that I doing it on my own I weren’t really with team fs3 that year I was you I was in the Paddock in a tent somewhere you still had your own onw in yeah yeah yeah they knew it was separate so um everyone will well happy and I think they fought I could probably do pretty good like in 2022 um but yeah everything was riding on it I had nothing after that so I had to win but then no pressure no no pressure but I actually loved it because I had the team with me I could only focus on the riding you know I I had Dave you know all the mechanics they had all the the data there everything was done for me and I could appreciate that so much more in 2022 because of how hard the year before was and I just I just could really enjoy my riding absolutely loved it apart from round one sake.com are specialist motorcycle accident solicitors that have Decades of experience dealing with all types of motorbike accident claims they know that having the right person represent you with your motorcycle accident claim can make a huge difference in all aspects of your journey to recovery that follows any motorbike accident sorm make.com is run by bikers for bikers I know the team well they’re genuinely great people who really care about their clients head to Sor mate.com to find out how the team can help you or just click the link in the description below looking I did it I did enjoy it I didn’t enjoy the race but I enjoyed if you look back at time sheets I enjoyed them bits not the race you would front row nearly every race yeah pull position if not yeah and think second was it first or second lap Asha took you out at silverston yeah first lap yeah but but I get I get it you know it happened it happened the start of the season because you you topped I think every session I think you went off on pole yeah and it was kind of it it was all set mhm the stars and the planets had aligned this is it nice Livery with red white and black looked really cool and then that happens and it’s like oh how do do you have to then hang on a minute this is my chance this is what I wanted I’ve worked so hard for this year last year with good flashes now I’ve got all my ducks in a row and then that happens yeah how did you pull yourself back from that well I was good at the time like only we only had one race that weekend well and I was absolutely gutted I drove him just gutted because you like I broke the lap record and in qualifying um and that was my goal my goal was to win the championship obviously and win win as much as I could you know like anyone else’s but I like to set my goal further and it a l record and if I didn’t get a l record I wouldn’t I wouldn’t have drove happy honestly that that was how it went I know Till’s there and Till’s totally agreeing because there was times where I didn’t get it and I wouldn’t be happy even though I’d won but I didn’t get a lot record so I wasn’t happy be hard on yourself Max oh terribly hard like honestly like yeah like a bit weird I’m sure some people would think like surely what cheer up match you I mean just be happy that you you know you did good that year but L record was my goal I just had time sheets sected everything like how I’m going to do this because I had everything I had the team I had a good bike and I knew I were good um you I knew I were capable to do it so um that was it LP record and out was my side and I got LP record in qualifying for silverston but because I didn’t do in the rate it don’t count doesn’t count so you won’t see it on on a record B anywhere because I didn’t make around a lap but but yeah so that was obviously a a bit of a a killer but I bring that up because it the the season was pretty Flawless after that but from coming from where you did and then everything coming through and testing and everything went fantastically well to then have that thrown at you in the first round it just gives a little bit of context to the season because then dust yourself off and then away on then to win the championship which then put you in line for the fs3 ride that’s right yeah and that year was just yeah that that 22 year really just put us massive spring into my step you know I had a few ups and downs you know but it was I got a fair few lap record I don’t know how many but I got a fair few lap records some yeah some L records um I I just absolutely you know love that year um and managed to do that super sport like wild card at the end as well was awesome but during that year I always wanted more that was the toughest thing probably Dave bch and till had to deal with that year was just always wanted more like there was there was other events going on like World Super Sport I like Dave we’re doing World Super Sport like and I got everything all together and realized it they needed they didn’t have the right like ECU and that to cost 10 grand and you bu your tires in bulk uh was who sport I didn’t realize and it’s like five grand five grand and they can’t even keep them you got to give them back and know so you have to rent tires rent tires yeah in World Super Sport yeah you rent tires and so that’s why we didn’t do it couldn’t just mental money and then I thought oh we’ll do a Spanish like CV stock six round yeah at Port may like we we just get the lads over just drive over we’ll just do it like same requirements and whatever and then um they honestly the boys were dead Keen I think they did love it to be fair um but no I’m just happy we did uh we did the stars of darly as a test on that super sport and then that was uh that was that was quite cool uh for me um daring yeah CU that year as well uh because bch are quite a big TT uh they come from Road RAC they road racing um I managed to get a last minute fer over to AR man um and me and Charlie Atkins went over we been friends for like best friends for ages um and it and it were great to be fair went over for like two days uh and I sort of got hooked when I got the boat back I was like road racing like that’ be awesome like I think how much fun they’re having think they’ve got the whole Road closed and they can just go as fast as they want that’s kind of the basics of it yeah but the reality is I’ve know from the side from real you think you just see the danger but when you sat on it I’m sure like you don’t you’re not think exactly why they do it exactly I think it would be nuts so anyway I had that I like like Dave you know we’ll do that I’ll learn the track whatever I was a bit bit Keen I just wanted to I was really fully committed but anyway Dave was like we we do daring Mo we’ll do daring Mo as it’s like a test and Dalmore and I did the first session of Dalmore and it a bit too close to me all the walls were everywhere like that and that was the end of my my road racing whatever fantasy like thinking or whatever you want to call it um but yeah it was a good test and I got character of the meeting for some reason which I would totally took me by surprise character of the meeting there’s a spirit of the meeting so there’s a picture of me on envelope Spirit of the Mee him so that would that really uh that made me very happy how nice I don’t know why they chose me cuz I thought they got the wrong person but was your brother racing as well James which one is it it’s fine when when you switch to the super bike as you said is it is the most competitive class that you could ever join in domestic racing what were your first feelings that first test when you go out on track with Brookie and hickey and Brad and Kyle and and the rest of them that are out there yeah so um my first proper go on the super B was uh in Spain circuit called Monty blano uh I I’d never rid um before this test and it real good it was open pit Lane and the team had actually arranged this like two we trip to Spain of just testing uh so me and Lee me and Jacko were together um it were minut fair I loving it because I knew there were no pressure no pressure so you know I just improving every day just get a bit faster a bit faster and the bik start to feel like M and then we came back to England um did some testing in the rain in Siler and then we came to round one race meeting like then it started to feel real having me new Leathers on all all colored kawazaki everything look proper Factory bikes full Livery now not just black I’m like all right we all rolled out a pit lane together and I don’t know what happened but I must have got stage fight or something but after two laps of Sil I got arm pump couldn’t hold on to it couldn’t hold on to the bike for the whole weekend and the whole weekend to be fair was a bit of a wash out because I just I couldn’t hang on to the bar just tensed up I don’t know what happened it sounds a bit like stage fright had stage fright cuz I was like oh I’m actually out with these guys now so here I am yeah yeah and um yeah that was that was a bit tough because you know I was at the back of the grid and you know I look back on it now and I think geez I’ve come a long way but at the time you know I knew I knew myself and I’m sure the team knew as well like I’m only going to improve so that absolutely that was good you can’t be judged on your first race no not by any stretch no no at what point last season did you or or did you realize that you were now a super B Rider that everything clicked and you weren’t thinking about your riding so much as the lap times you know when you make that transition from how do I ride this thing and adapting can you remember what the point was when you suddenly kind of think I get it I am now a super bik Rider I had a really good round three at Donington um I made it through to Super pole and I did my first ever super pole lap um did that clean I I’ve never been so nervous to do a lap in on my laugh because I knew everyone was watching me you know and I’ve not really made an impression on the BSB pet yet and I’m sure like the Riders you know they weren’t too sure who I was or what I’m about either so I was really I really nervous for that cuz that was sort of my first impression first sort of statement I guess you could say into into BB and then I you know come away like an 11th as well that weekend which is like a personal best so oh really over the moon and then I was just improving a little bit little bit little bit and then obviously Thon was the massive one where I managed to lead a race um miss out on the podium by like 100th of a second and start on the front row get a whole shot you know and it was that was where it all sort of fell into place and um um everything felt normal to that point um which was really nice in front of your home crowd as well yeah yeah which made it even better all my family was there um was I made some T-shirts for that weekend as well and like so many people had a t-shirt on so yeah know it was it was good to see well I know I kind of know the answer You’ just about answered this question but was thron the absolute highlight of the Season yeah yeah that that was a highlight for the season season um but then after that I had bad crash at cadar straight after which took me back quite a bit and then it and then it was starting again building up building up and then I actually finished the year off at Brands really good um been able to overtake I got to fifth at one point I over took Jacko and and Leon has them and you know then was like oh cool on back you know it feels feels good I can finish on a high and 2023 rookie of the year yeah yeah so that was not B high that is it you’re going to get six rookies that started the year it was the most the most competitive rookie season I think in in many a year coming up with with with DAV Todd um Charlie Nesbit there was Jack Scott that’s four who else was it got there Tim Neeve yeah of course Tim yeah there’s a few remember pictures at silverston I think I’ve got five out of six Jennifer keeps I keep looking across and Jennifer’s telling me to sit up cuz I’m slouching not you you’re fine it’s me every time I just catch her out the corner of my eyes she like look that’s exactly what she’s doing sit up I’m trying um moving in then to 2024 what are your targets now for this year in your second season you are an established British super bik riding now second season on the the extendable are what’s this season now for you when you get to brands at the end of the year what are you going to look back at as a success um for me I need I need to get this Podium I’m so determined just to get on the podium because I know you know I think Daran said on your podcast you know I do need that confidence behind me and I think you know it’s true you know I do need that that confidence that boost and when I’m doing well I can continue to do well and that belief in myself really works so you know I’m doing everything I can at the moment and and just once I get that Podium and I can stand there I’ll feel like a true super fight Rider like I’ve actually made a mark and you know that that I’ll feel at home then in this championship and then I should be able to just to ride this wave and I’m hoping or the plan would be to get a Podium yeah pretty regular from then on uh which is an absolute dream for me if I can look back if this year I I get a Podium or two or three whatever I’d be well happy with that I think going forward through this year the potential that’s there for the bike and for you do you have a target round for that or is it just you’ll take it as in when it comes uh I take it as in when to be honest I see the the Kaw wasaki is good everywhere yeah um there’s no trap where it’s bad at you know it’s strong at every track so um obviously it’s Mega and Jason on team at a minute cuz he’s man in the the short space of time he’s been with the team he’s managed to steer the bike into this new rang of setups which have never been available to the team until now and I’ve tried some of them and some of them are pretty cool um was made me go faster already so um things are things are are looking quite good so it that was something I was going to come to thank you I was going to you notice the music’s gone down now now I’ve got a load of editing to do to try and get I could feel the Bas through my feet so hopefully that the editing and the sound for you guys listening and watching on the YouTube is isn’t too bad I could feel it it’s like oh no hopefully these mics are really sensitive yeah the decent mic say like through the conversation I’m like oh no please um so change in teammate from 23 to 24 jacko’s moved on to pastur new you the team have brought in Jason no’ Haller and one of if not the most experienced super bik Rider along with um like Josh Brooks and higgy he’s been around maybe since you were still at Primary School sorry jay um what so tell me what more he’s brought into the team for you as a as a senior Rider and been able to to change things for you well he did a Shakedown test of donton um straight after Brans uh in 23 uh literally like the Tuesday after went from br then straight to Donington yeah there was a Shakedown test there on the kawazaki and I I went up cuz I just liveed nearby um now I I went up and just had to listen to some of his debriefs and he picked up on like three points and they were they were simple points but I was like I’m feeling that too and I just thought that was part of the bike I thought that was normal I thought that was just the characteristics of the kawazaki and that was it it no we’ll change that for you Jay like don’t worry we can change that yeah like no way but I just thought that was part of the B we nothing to refer to you yeah that’s right nothing and Jay Pon just these three little points and you know it stuff like that makes a huge difference cuz now those three points have been erased and now the bike is you know that bit easier to ride now so which proved itself already in 2024 the opening round at Navara um and we’re here at Al Park this weekend the test went super well the last couple of days and again today think low 30 mid 34s I think yeah mid 34 which is exactly what Kyle and Glenn and Tommy were doing on the test they went a little bit quicker at the end but that’s in the same lap time as the experienced guys are going so that that must give you some real confidence ahead of the weekend that’s right and that you know a lot of that is you know Jason and the team see my riding’s come on a lot as well this year um so that’s obviously awesome um but yeah like today I’ve knocked three off my person the best I we visited here twice last year and I usually well actually always go faster in a race than I do in practice qualifying um so to do it in fp1 to already go like three quicker than I ever have done is yeah it’s quite impressive like and I’m pretty proud of that too so should be you’re allowed to be yeah no and I just hope I can keep going that’s not not it now I just hope to keep going don’t that wall like that that’s that’s it that’s your level that’s where you’re going um I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this it’s always good to sit down with you we we did it at Cadwell didn’t we after you had a bang on the head we was up on the fan merch stage um and I think you even made it onto the the thumbnail of um our last podcast oh good yeah now that’s when I couldn’t get me words out so I couldn’t cuss I didn’t really know what were your words I’m slower than usually am yeah yeah that’s about right Fair way to disarm the crowd is that yeah just prepare them right we didn’t get to do this last time because it it was still a bit of a hobby doing the podcast and it was just audio um and it was your first time you did good you did good um pick me odd or even uh even Danny did that as well Dam must change can go odd then if you want me to odd did you say brilliant Thanks Max [Laughter] Max cook what’s your most embarrassing moment oh no even till he’s got a head in hands should I say it yes Darren’s been on when he’s followed through in his letters so it can’t be no should I say it or not no cuz they might watch it it’s not that bad it’s not that bad the team found it very funny good I’m sure Jason will find his funny as well um but this happened in the Bara and we had a hotel room oh this is a recent one yeah yeah yeah excellent yeah and it it wasn’t it wasn’t bad um but cut it out if if you think it’s bad um no any no just yeah anyway uh there’s an auto checkin it wasn’t like a normal um Hotel okay it was just a normal normal check-in yeah um um no automated checking like vending machine type in your name or whatever right and and it just dropped out the key card oh right me like Room 205 205 but Jason and rage were just there and they like a like you know obviously they would just sat there oh no no no no no no but that were like me first impression to Jason because you know we’re we’re new teammates and I was like they don’t know Jason or Rachel that well at the time and like I couldn’t believe it because it’s like my first impression and daddy like oh no I just fully walked into their room I couldn’t believe it cuz it it wasn’t even my fault like just it was just what the key run key that we were given the team found it elious because it were me anyway so we went downstairs and then the team had arrived at this point and then um Julie the the team coordinator had um there’s actually keypads on the the door to the room and she sent a big WhatsApp of everyone’s of key Cod she like I’ve checked you all in guys here’s your room key codes so then looks even worse cuz it’s like we’ve pin the code into their room and can open the door surprise I just I couldn’t believe it honest and you know till there with me and it it was quite embarrassing at the time and it is now to be fair but this yeah they’re good people yeah they’re good they broke the US quite a bit and it we laugh about it next day I had a a similar thing happen um for this round back in September for some reason I hadn’t booked the Thursday night so always come on a Thursday do the interviews on a Thursday then you boys can concentrate on what you do Friday Saturday Sunday and I had and I booked it last minute and it was a place in tarpy and I forget what it was called but as I got there and I’m like as soon as you walk in you know this was the point that they up oh really yeah cuz I didn’t read the reviews oh no no Jennifer look I can feel her face now is it bad without me is it I walked in and I’m like the guy’s on the end of his on the on the bar on his phone and it’s all like excuse me excuse me and he comes back and he goes are you checking it yet Dave Neil yeah there all right room for I’ll take you up and you walk through and it’s a pub but he got like a bit of a B&B with it and as you’re going up the stairs they were mcky footprints on each tread on the car pet and I’m walking upstairs oh no it smell there smell of it what I he’s really fusty oh no so he walks up he I’ve got your room key no problem at all walks walks it’s this one here unlocks the door opens the door and go this is your Ro there’s a bloat naked on the bed on the phone to his wife oh no way look at this absolute God’s honest truth no way I’m I’m not sh at least you didn’t know it yeah I’m not share it but it was the room across the the corridor so and he oh no sorry sorry sorry sorry the bloke’s face was white and I was like sorry I can picture it now and it if it was someone from the P yeah exactly hello so we went in the other room and I sat down on the bed and the bed was two single beds pushed together and it was like the Mountain Ridge through the middle of it so I messaged Jen I’m like I can’t stay here honestly I can’t stay here so I bugged into the one that we’re staying in this weekend in church Mell and they’re like do you know what I’ll pay for that myself the podcast ain’t paying for that I don’t care I’m not I’m not staying they can have the money I’m out here yeah like 10 minutes later I come bobbing down the stairs the bloke looks at me I went I’m really sorry like um I can’t remember what I said oh yeah I said my mom’s had a fall I’ve got a yeah yeah yeah yeah oh no so I’m really sorry mate I’ve just had a my mom’s had a thought i’ got to go this Keys did honestly I I couldn’t get away away from there quick enough it’s in all the years I’ve been doing this and and staying with teams and and it was the single worst experence so I I can I mean I didn’t know the guy you you knew Jason but that makes it worse I think little story as well so I feel your pain on that front I feel your pain just um what we let’s have a look um you’re too young to do dinner parties aren’t you yeah so if you went to macky’s yeah how’s that see see what I did that yeah with with four famous people dead or alive yeah who would they be uh probably Jeremy Clarkson um probably was it Jeremy Clarkson you can’t have been twice imagine James W with Jeremy Clarkson how cool with that imagine that yeah Wham that that would be brilliant that would be a laugh um James Hunt yeah cool wasn’t it that’s a party stories um then now I’d like someone kind of cool like Travis pastana yeah you know you know nice so that would be my lineup yeah wh with jery Clarkson that’s just going to be class with a bit of jam a bit of James H thrown in and a bit of Travis Pastrana I’d come to that party yeah be cool quite happy yeah what noise your most in life oh c Lo maybe Tilly should answer this one in Lo um like bad drivers on the motorway yeah or just any bad drivers to be fair does that come from your time as a Hermes delivery driver yeah uh one decision you’d change if you could decision yeah I what what what good question thank you stop buying yourself time no because what what decision what do I do what if you had one decision to make again okay to change it for a better result in Life or in racing what would it be I honestly I’ve not lived enough life I don’t think to have enough important decision being made at me honestly what a beautiful answer I haven’t I haven’t come into as many scenarios of what you might think what an absolutely beautiful answer I’m pretty happy where I’ve made it to so far perfect um what was the last thing you did for the first time apart from walking on your teammate yeah my first impressions there not a top [Laughter] tip s what’s the the last thing you did for the first time last thing I did for the first time I must have done it today did I yeah it’s right that’s did a 1345 around Alon there you go the last thing I did yeah for the first time and that’s exactly right yeah because there ain’t many people watching this that have done a 1345 round thank you Danny K M Danny per keep going Danny if you’re still running yeah Danny if you listen to this and you’re out running you’re doing great mate keep going um if you had any superpower what would it be um teleport I think why the because when you just want to get places wouldn’t you and just go home there a you boom you know like traveling and stuff just like I like getting places quick you see so teleporting would do that for me which also goes back to the bad drivers yeah exactly that skips at that point totally don’t it one food you could never give up uh proba tea and biscuits and that’s a drink but that’s fine that’s fine yeah yeah what biscuits any just any you know that family pack honestly any of them if you had a choice chocolate hobnobs custard creams where you going uh custard creams are better to dip because then you you get like all that like grv bits don’t you at the bottom and then you got no tea left because all the OB knobs soak it all the OBS they drink it for you don’t you’re you’re a man of the man heart you really are uh let’s have a look um what substition do you have um got a lot obviously the you got your typical like um put your glove on your right first boot whatever um but I got some weird ones I got have the same porridge every day um plus got have my gel R routine I got these like moldex ear plugs and they’ve got like they’re white but they’ve got like like different colors on them some have got more color than the other and the one with the most color got to go in me left ear first there’s a tiny little stuff they all adds up honestly my life is like a Lego instructions of like what to do honestly it’s terrible I could do without it it’s running you ever find your soer for God’s sake not again w why have I told myself that I got to do this I mean you could talk yourself out of it it’s not happening Tod um final two questions the first one is in two parts I know we’ve done this before on the audio but for those who haven’t caught that uh episode from a couple of years ago what’s your favorite corner and why oh favorite corner and oh that’s a good point favorite corner I want to say is probably Asen that R the the bit of the bat I don’t know what it’s called and the run into the the the G of shicane the one before that rusen hul no I don’t think it iser might be so something I know we run the one that goes through the dip and it bounces through it that way yeah did I do that I know it’s that way first isn’t it and then that way that section of circuit there is unbelievable the last yeah the last because watching um World Super bikes through there m even um Greg and JT as as the bikes are coming through the the back’s pushing through and they sliding all the way through it and then they go through that little dip and then you back through to the left hander through into the CH left that’s an awesome bit of track that is yeah think Danny was saying yesterday when we spoke to him that he’d love BSB to go back to Asen yeah everyone would wouldn’t they yeah everyone would because a lot of people a lot of the British Riders have a lot of success at Asen yeah where did you get your rookie podium uh Saxon R I couldn’t remember where it was I was was kind of hoping close yeah yeah I got fourth by and then I tiny bit of podum but yeah then sucks for me and the final question MH what’s your best High car story um I want to say well one we got uh it were Mello 2018 I was in rookies I was with my mechanic James anel who’s my mechanic now actually he’s come back first time and uh we were running late for the flight as usual uh Sunday night and we racing around um there was a really slow like Italian man on a on a bike run dead slow so we like we overtook him like pipped him and that having a right laugh next Corner threw it in and there was a massive Boulder in the road both tires like blew up bang bang and that was it and then we were just stuck there stuck in this lay bar couldn’t do anything we’re still like 2 hours from the airport um stuck missed a flight had to then sleep outside at the airport cuz we went to P airport then they ki you out for like 5 hours during the night we sat outside in this like dead sketchy like waiting area like people are smoking all the time and yeah but then we managed to finally get back but then we flew in at a totally different airport to where the car was and then anyway yeah that proba best AR story for the wrong reasons so no they’re the right reason I’m I’m more than happy with those yeah it was just so funny we were just all laughing and then it just went Bang did did a bik come past year as well yeah yeah yeah Max I have thoroughly enjoyed this yeah yeah me too absolute pleasure to have you back on the show mate and um what I’d like to do let’s towards the end of the season we get a chance to do it again let’s have a look back at at the year see how you got on see where we’re at and uh until then best of Lu this weekend alt Park and for the rest of the season but ladies and gentlemen it’s Max cook thank you cheers Dave thank you thanks mate