BRADFORD'S David Brook is looking forward to another successful Thundersport GB season after being given a turbo boost of a different kind.
The Team Arkoni racer got off to an impressive start with two podium finishes at Brands Hatch last weekend, and said: "The meeting proved that I'm fit enough to do consistent laps over the race distance, which can only help bring me the results I need.
"I spent many hours over the winter months on the turbo trainer in the workshop after work, which has definitely helped me up my general fitness.
"The weekend's results also gives me a huge amount of confidence as I bid to challenge for race wins. I took a knife to a gunfight last year, it seems, running a totally stock-road engine.
"The Superstock rules allow certain internal changes that help improve the power and torque but that was out of my budget last year. The winter break allowed me to make those changes and has levelled the playing field.
"To be right on the money straight away shows how much it was holding me back last year."
Clayton Heights-based Brook added: "People kept complimenting me over the weekend, saying how fast the bike looked, but in reality I was having to ride the wheels off the thing last year just to keep up. Now that same commitment brings much better results.
Brook qualified third on day one at Brands Hatch behind BSB rider Craig Neve and reigning Superstock 600 champion Adam Shelton.
"I felt satisfied with that but knew I could improve. In race one, I brought it home in fifth.
"I wasn't ruthless enough with the back-markers I came across and I paid the price.
"We made some changes overnight and were second fastest in warm-up, so I knew we were onto something. I managed to get off the grid and break away with the front wave, finishing third, and almost a second quicker than Saturday.
"I made an equally good start in race three, despite the poor grid position and, after the first flying lap, I was leading the Stock 1000.
"I continued to do so for most of the race until I came unlucky with a back-marker going much slower than me in one of the turns, and a momentary closing in the throttle lead to Craig passing me, never to be seen again.
"Overall it was an awesome weekend with two podiums and the closest I've ever got to a race win in the GP1. I'm all revved up for Donington next month!"
Brighouse-based Arkoni Metalwork are once again supporting the Bradford rider's endeavours.
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