“Super lucky” Max Cook rescues top sixes after monster Oulton Park BSB crash

Despite his body “shutting down” at the end of the final race of the weekend, Max Cook was able to rescue two top-six finishes from the Oulton Park BSB.

Cook’s physical problems on Sunday stemmed from his huge Race 1 crash on Saturday, when he went down at turn three, Cascades.

It was a crash that the Bimota rider described as among the “biggest” of his BSB career, and which left him in full-body pain for Sunday’s two races.

“Sore today,” Cook said, speaking to Crash.net after BSB Race 3.

“Yesterday was a really heavy crash – I’ve not had one like that in a long time. I think it’s probably one of the biggest crashes I’ve had on the Superbike. 

“Basically, all my body is bruised. Luckily, nothing is broken, but just every limb hurts, it’s painful. 

“So, super-fortunate I was able to ride today, I got super-lucky. 

“Just got little bruises from the gravel rash on all my fingers, my knees, my elbows, shoulder – just taken a big beating. 

“So, to come home with a fifth and a sixth today – it’s a good result, I’ve got to be happy with it. 

“Of course, I want to be on the podium – that’s the goal, it’s what I go to the grid to do, but today I just gave it everything. 

“In Race 3 especially, the last half my body was shutting down, it was saying ‘You can’t do any more’, and I managed to bring it home. 

“It was the longest nine laps I’ve ever had to do in my life. But the bike was mega all weekend – big thank you to my team, it was good.”

The highlight of Cook’s weekend was his maiden BSB pole, taken along with the lap record on Saturday.

“We’ve got the speed, that’s obviously mega,” he said.

“To be able to do a 1m32.6s around Oulton Park, that’s the fastest motorbike lap ever, is a really proud achievement. 

“It’s something that’s been coming on the horizon for the season and to finally get it is amazing. 

“For sure, it puts us in good stead for the rest of the year. 

“To be totally honest, Oulton Park isn’t my strongest track by any means, so it’s come as a surprise to get my first pole position here. I feel like if I can do it here, I’ve got more of a chance of doing it at other tracks, too.”