John Cook

1992 Swedish National Speedway Champion
1985 American Final Speedway Champion
1983 US Open Speedway Champion
1981 US Speedway Longtrack Champion

Nickname: "Cowboy" / "Cookie"
Rider Number: 94
Hometown: Roseville, California - USA
Place of Birth: Van Nuys, California - USA
Date of Birth: December 18, 1958
Occupation: Professional Speedway Rider and Construction
Marital Status: Single
Children: Fred Cook
Started Speedway:
E-mail:
WikipediA Web Site: John Cook
Top Photo by: RC Jones (2022)
Other Photos: Courtesy Photo

Cook Speedway Academy

One of the most popular of the Junior Speedway trainers in the early 1980's was at that time an up and coming Speedway star from Roseville, CA, called John Cook. John went on to make an international career in Speedway. He lived in Sweden for many years and rode for Smederna, along with team mate Billy Hamill. Small world, isn't it?

Bike: Jawa

Tracks Ridden:
USA: Bakersfield - Cal Expo, Sacramento - Costa Mesa - Auburn - Lake Perris - Vallejo - Ventura - Victorville - Champion, NY - Action Park, NY - Ascot (South Bay) - Ascot (1/4 mile) - Ascot (1/2 mile) - Baylands - Napa - San Bernardino (IMS) - Long Beach,

Achievements:
1992 Cook was crowned the Swedish National Speedway Champion
1987 - World Finalist
1985 - World Finalist
1985 - American Final Champion
1983 - US Open
1981 - US Long Track Champion
1984 - Rode for British League winning team (Ipswich)
1982 - Rode for British League winning team (Ipswich)

Costa Mesa 1980's - Scott Daloisio Photo

Scott Daloisio's Favorite Photos

John “Cowboy” Cook always stood out as one of my favorite subjects when I shot Speedway, and there are numerous reasons for this preference. As demonstrated by this photo taken at the 1986 United States Speedway National Championship at the world-famous Costa Mesa Speedway, he was an all-action rider, captivating audiences whether it was on tracks somewhere else in Europe or here on the West Coast. His performances were always spectacular.

Another compelling reason for my enjoyment in shooting John was the fact that he rode with his head up, which allowed me to capture great shots of his eyes. His eyes were always wide open, reflecting intensity and focus, whether it was during a Handicap heat race or the final lap of the Scratch main event.

Throughout my years shooting Speedway, John frequently bounced back and forth from the British League to the Californian circuits. While he is most famously associated with Ipswich, where he made a significant impact, he started his British League career with Hull in 1980. After his tenure with Ipswich ended in 1986, he rode for the King’s Lynn Stars and the Poole Pirates.

In the 1990s, John continued to make his mark in the Swedish League, riding for Indianerna, Smederna, and Getingarna. His achievements in Sweden were remarkable, as he was crowned Swedish champion in 1992.

John was also a regular in the USA team, where he contributed significantly, picking up one silver and two bronze medals in the World Team Cup competitions. His international presence and colorful persona made him a standout rider.

Cook's distinguished career included qualifying for two World Finals. The first was in 1985, where, after top-scoring the American final in June with a perfect score of 15 points, he successfully navigated through the other two qualifying rounds. In the world final at Odsal, he scored nine points and finished 7th. Two years later, in 1987, he qualified for the inaugural two-day Speedway World Final in Amsterdam, Holland, finishing seventh each day and ending up eighth overall.

Aside from his on-track prowess, John was equally admirable off the track. About three or four years ago, while I was supplying some photos to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa for an Ascot display, I received an instant message from John. He was assisting with the Hall of Fame. I did not realize it was him until I saw the meme of a chocolate chip cookie.

In summary, John “Cowboy” Cook was not only an exceptional rider but a genuinely nice and fun-loving individual off the track. His dynamic performances, intense focus, and endearing personality made him a favorite subject of mine in Speedway photography.