Josh Cook has hit out at the Renault UK Clio Cup stewards after seeing his title hopes dealt a major blow by a pair of judicial decisions across the Rockingham weekend.
The SV Racing ace was handed a ten place grid penalty for the opening race after an incident at Knockhill, and then a drive-through penalty for a jump start in the second race.
Cook also found himself the victim of contact on the opening lap in race one from James Colburn which sent him off track to the back of the field, for which Colburn was handed a three place grid penalty and five seconds on his race time.
After seeing his 12 point championship lead coming into the weekend turn into a 28 point deficit to Mike Bushell over the weekend, Cook expressed his frustration to The Checkered Flag at what he feels is unfair officiating.
“It’s a new temporary clerk of the course that we’ve had for the last two rounds who seems to have got it in for me,” he told us after race two.
“Yesterday I was taken out due to the penalty I got from Knockhill, which the clerk has admitted was incorrect but that doesn’t help me, I didn’t get my grid position back. Yeah he apologised, but I still ended up being taken out in the race as I was out of track position from the pace I had.
“Today the red lights stayed on for a ridiculously long time and the clutch started to drag. I was never going to hit the brakes from the front row when the lights went out as it would have caused carnage. I lost a few places anyway but they still felt the need to penalise me and the other SVR cars, even though a lot of cars creeped.
“The BARC normally do a fantastic job with supplying us good quality officials, but this has just been ridiculous, inconsistent and unprofessional, and it’s highly disappointing when we pay such a large entry fee into what should be a feeder series into British Touring Cars.
“The championship has been ruined now by factors outside my control.”
