Craig Cook
{{short description|British speedway rider|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox speedway rider
| name = Craig Cook
| image =
| nationality = British (English)
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|5|21|df=y}}
| birth_place = Whitehaven, England
| nickname = Cookie
| website = {{URL|http://cc111.co.uk/}}
| career1 = Scunthorpe
| years1 = 2008
| career2 = Buxton
| years2 = 2009–2010
| career3 = Workington
| years3 = 2009–2010, 2017, 2024
| career4 = Peterborough
| years4 = 2010, 2016
| career5 = Edinburgh
| years5 = 2011–2015, 2023
| career6 = Belle Vue
| years6 = 2011, 2013–2018
| career7 = Glasgow
| years7 = 2018–2022
| career8 = King's Lynn
| years8 = 2019–2021
| career9 = Sheffield
| years9 = 2022
| career10 = Leicester
| years10 = 2023–2025
| career11 = Berwick
| years11 = 2025
| SGP No =
| SGP starts =13
| SGP podium =0 (0-0-0)
| SGP finals =0
| SGP win =0
| indivhonour1 = National League Riders Champion
| indivyear1 = 2009
| indivhonour2 = Premier League Riders Champion
| indivyear2 = 2012
| indivhonour3 = Scottish Open Champion
| indivyear3 = 2013
| indivhonour4 = British Champion
| indivyear4 = 2017
| indivhonour5 = Riders Champion
| indivyear5 = 2018
| teamhonour1 = Young Shield Winner
| teamyear1 = 2009
| teamyear2 = 2019
| teamhonour2 = SGB Championship Pairs
| teamhonour3 = Premier League Fours
| teamyear3 = 2013, 2015
}}
Craig William Cook (born 21 May 1987)Bamford R.(2008). Speedway Yearbook 2008. {{ISBN|978-0-9553103-5-5}} is a motorcycle speedway rider from England.
Career
Born in Whitehaven, Cook's speedway career began in 2008. In 2009, Cook won the National League Riders Championship, held on 26 September at Rye House Stadium.{{cite web |url=https://www.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk/news-centre/article/2010-12-17/monarchs-sign-craig-cook |title=MONARCHS SIGN CRAIG COOK |website=Edinburgh Speedway |access-date=30 June 2023}} He rode for Peterborough Panthers in 2010.{{cite news | title =New Panther Craig is Cooking up a storm| work = The Evening Telegraph | date = 20 May 2010 | url = http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/sport/speedway/new_panther_craig_is_cooking_up_a_storm_1_636360 | accessdate = 2010-07-27 }}{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=27 June 2023}}
He moved on to Edinburgh Monarchs, who he rode for in the Premier League between 2011 and 2015. As an Edinburgh rider, he won the Premier League Riders Championship, held on 14 October 2012 at Owlerton Stadium.{{cite web |url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/speedway-edinburgh-ace-craig-is-rider-champ-1603642 |title=Speedway: Edinburgh ace Craig is Rider Champ |website=The Scotsman |access-date=27 June 2023}} He was twice part of the Edinburgh team that won the Premier League Four-Team Championship, which were held on 14 July 2013, at the East of England Arena and 1 October 2015, at the Media Prime Arena respectively.{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/2013fixtures.pdf |title=2013 fixtures and results |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=9 July 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk/news-centre/article/2015-10-01/fours-champions |title=FOURS CHAMPIONS |website=Edinburgh Speedway |access-date=9 July 2023}}
He was part of the Belle Vue Aces team that competed in the Elite League from 2011 until 2018. He finished second in the 2014 British Speedway Championship{{cite web|url=http://speedwayresults.com/result.php?type=611&season=2014|title=2014 British Final Result|publisher=speedwayresults.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129183546/http://speedwayresults.com/result.php?type=611&season=2014|archive-date=29 January 2015|df=dmy-all}} and the 2015 British Speedway Championship.{{cite web|url=http://www.speedwaygb.co/15results/wolverhampton_15.06.15_res.pdf|title=2015 British Final Result|publisher=Speedway GB}}
His domestic success as also seen him recognised internationally, with appearances in the 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017 Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain, and he was a member of the Great Britain team that finished fourth in 2014 Speedway World Cup. In 2017, he became the British Champion.
In 2018, Cook became a full-time member of the Speedway Grand Series after being given a qualification position after he had finished fourth in the Speedway Grand Prix Challenge Final. This was due to Patryk Dudek, who finished third in the SGP Challenge Final meeting, and also finishing second in the 2017 Speedway Grand Prix Series.
Cook joined Glasgow Tigers in the SGB Championship in 2018 and would stay with them until 2022. As a Glasgow rider, Cook won the Riders' Championship for the second time. The final was held on 2 September at Owlerton Stadium.{{cite web |url=https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/16738350.cleator-speedway-star-craig-cook-lifts-championship-riders-individual-trophy/ |title=Cleator speedway star Craig Cook lifts Championship Riders' Individual Trophy |website=News and Star with the Cumberland Times |access-date=28 June 2023}}
In 2019, he left Peterborough to join the King's Lynn Stars and enjoyed a good season, finishing sixth in the SGB Premiership 2019 averages.{{cite web|url=http://www.peterborough-speedway.com/news.php?extend.3591.2|title=Club Statement - Craig Cook |date=27 March 2019|publisher=Peterborough Panthers}}{{cite web|url=http://www.kingslynn-speedway.com/news.php?extend.30827|title=Lynn Swoop for GB Star |date=28 May 2019|publisher=King's Lynn Stars}} Also in 2019, he won the SGB Championship Pairs partnering Rasmus Jensen for Glasgow, during the SGB Championship 2019 season.{{cite web |url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2019/09/21/glasgow-win-the-pairs/ |title=Glasgow win the Pairs |website=Redcar Speedway |access-date=30 May 2023}}
In 2021, he rode in the top tier of British Speedway, riding for the King's Lynn Stars in the SGB Premiership 2021.{{cite web |url=http://www.kingslynn-speedway.com/team21|title=2021 KING'S LYNN STARS|website=Kings Lynn Speedway|access-date=18 June 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/21results/kings_lynn_17.05.21_res.pdf|title=Ipswich v Kings Lynn|website=British Speedway |access-date=18 June 2021}} In 2022, he rode for the Sheffield Tigers in the SGB Premiership 2022 and for Glasgow in the SGB Championship 2022.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/player/cook-craig/ |title=British Speedway rider profile |website=British Speedway |access-date=29 September 2022}}
In 2023, he returned to the Edinburgh Monarchs for the SGB Championship 2023, he had previously been with them from 2011 to 2015.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/championship/cook-back-to-complete-monarchs/|title=Cook returns to complete Monarchs |website=British Speedway |access-date=24 December 2022}} He re-signed for Workington (another former team) for the 2024 season{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/cab-direct-championship/comets-are-cook-ing/ |title=Comets are Cook-ing |website=British Speedway |access-date=19 December 2023}} and later joined Leicester again in June.
Cook signed for Berwick Bandits for the SGB Championship 2025.{{cite web |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/other-sport/cook-now-a-bandit-4871211 |title=Cook now a Bandit |website=Edinburgh News | date=16 November 2024 |access-date=23 November 2024 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cook, Craig}}
Category:British speedway riders
Category:English motorcycle racers
Category:British Speedway Championship winners
Category:Belle Vue Aces riders
Category:Berwick Bandits riders
Category:Edinburgh Monarchs riders
Category:Glasgow Tigers riders
Category:King's Lynn Stars riders
Category:Peterborough Panthers riders
Category:Scunthorpe Saints riders