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THE ROB COOK GALLERIES

Introduction

My first drag race was in 1990, the Cannonball to be more exact. Someone my Mum knew from work got me and my brother some free tickets.  We travelled by train from Croydon to Wellingborough, and then hitched a ride to the track (we would later find out that it was Stu Vallance that gave us a ride).  Whilst we enjoyed it, we really did not have a clue what was going on.  The next meeting was Easter 1991.  I had passed my test and drove there which was just as well since it chucked it down with rain.  I nearly didn't go again, until I saw an ad on ITV on the Sunday night before eliminations for the Main Event 1991.  I was supposed to be revising for my A Levels but I borrowed my Mum's car again and went and have been hooked ever since.  I think what did it was Tony Brintersson's 5.22 @ 276mph, I was stunned and have been going religiously ever since.  That year my brother and I, along with a friend who had been to the Cannonball with me that year, camped at the track for the Finals. It rained a lot that year and he never came along again.

Undeterred my brother and I camped again at Easter for 4 days.  We nearly froze, then finally we had some good weather at the Main Event that year.  Camping when it's hot and sunny is a lot different to freezing cold and wet!  At the main event Viveca Averstadt blew her clutch to bits, through more luck than judgment I got a decent picture of it happening, which Custom Car along with a few other magazines used.  It was that fluke of a picture which set me on the path of becoming a professional photographer, but that's another long, boring story for another day.

Also that year my brother and I piled the camping gear into the back of my £500 junk car and drove to the rounds in Sweden and Norway.  We had an amazing time and I've not had a normal holiday since.  My holiday plans are based around racing schedules, and trying to fit in as many races as possible.  Next year (2003) I am planning on attending Finland, Sweden plus three NHRA rounds.  If I ever win the lottery I'll just go to every race starting with the Winternationals in the US and follow the tour until the Gators, then back to Europe for the Main Event and the rest of the European rounds, then back to finish out the NHRA and IHRA tours of the US and then finish the year in Australia.