Great Britain ace Craig Cook shows his class for King's Lynn Stars

King’s Lynn Stars riders and management have spoken about the immediate impact new arrival Craig Cook has made.

The Great Britain star dropped just one point to an opposing Wolverhampton rider on his debut on Monday when Lynn won their Premiership home league opener 52-38.

Cook notched 13+1 at the Adrian Flux Arena, and the Cumbrian’s GB team-mate and Lynn skipper, Robert Lambert, said: “It’s great to have Craig in the team.

“It’s a big change and a bit of a boost for us. I think that’s what we need, a bit of a lifting-up.

“The pressure is taken off some of the other boys as well. So yes, we did a great job tonight. I was really pleased but I was a bit up and down. I had a few problems - I don’t know what - I thought it was sorted. We’ll make sure it’s fixed for the next meeting.”

Both Cook and Simon Lambert seemed to lift the team with their first appearances.

Team boss Peter Schroeck reflected on this boost following five league away losses, and he said: “It’s been a tough few weeks for this club.

“The boys have been working so hard trying to find an answer and sometimes in life you try to hard to find an answer and you never find it.

“So we try to be relaxed and made a couple of changes with Craig coming in. He’s probably one of the coolest guys in the pits and it rubs off on all the others.

“He had a good time tonight. I couldn’t be any more pleased after a tough run on the road. Now the fixtures are coming our way with some home meetings.”

The most memorable part of Cook’s debut was when he sped and squeezed between Wolves duo Rory Schlein and Sam Masters down the first straight to confirm the hosts’ victory in Heat 13.

He was pleased with his reception by the Poultec Stars fans, and said: “I have to score a few more points to surpass Mr Lambert - Robert, that is - sorry, Simon!

“I couldn’t have asked for a better one. There was talk there about going through gaps that didn’t even exist, and talent, but it boils down to who’s got the biggest pair of testicles at times!

“I got through a few gaps tonight and there was some good racing, and looking forward to Swindon on Thursday and hopefully getting another win.

“Peter says about keeping it real. Speedway is over-complicated at times.”

Robert Lambert added on his second successive Grand Prix semi-final spot at the weekend: “It’s going well. I don’t really look at it as such a big thing as at home. Every meeting I want to do well.

“There were three last places and not what I wanted. I went away feeling a bit low. On a bigger note, it’s good, but I want it to be better even though it’s the GP.”