Team Co-Ordit’s Richard Cooper was the talk of the paddock this weekend at Mallory Park whilst taking part as a wildcard rider in the seventh round of the Visk British Superbike Championship due to his usual category not running at the Leicestershire circuit.
Cooper has been a noticeable contribution to the Superbike line up in all of the sessions this weekend and was a dominating factor in the third practice session putting his striking yellow Yamaha second on the timing sheets.  Through the Swan Combi 50 Roll for Pole his talent really shone as he took fourth on the grid, the only cup rider to make it into the top ten and becoming the second cup rider this season to start from the front row.
Cooper is a main title challenger in his regular championship of the Metzeler National Superstock 1000 in which he currently sits third in the overall standings and has stood on the podium four out of seven races, but hasn’t quite got the race win, yet.
Talking about his wildcard ride in the highest racing championship in Britain Cooper said: “At the end of last year it was decided that we would take part as a wildcard ride in the Superbikes category because the Superstock isn’t running here.  Back then it seemed ages away, then it was getting closer and all of a sudden it was here.”
“Superbikes and Superstock are the same in regards to pushing hard, but the difference is you can only push for so long in the Superstocks because of the tyres we use, but in Superbikes the tyres allow to continue pushing all the time.  And you have to, you can’t have a break.”
“I have been taking it day by day, I sit down and think about.  I say it’s a case of you need to go slower to go faster, it then clicks it to place.  Regarding qualifying I was confident we would make it to the top 20, but then I started to realise that the top ten was possible.  In the second session I came in with ten minutes to go and I was in seventh.”
“I watched my position go down to ninth, but we kept ninth to go out in the last part.  I would have settled for tenth. Again it came together, I did a couple of laps on the old tyres before putting in a new one and got P4.  I expected to fall down the order.  My personal opinion is the qualifying is not good to watch, but to actually be in it is quite good, the track is much better because you have much less traffic.”
It was a disappointed result it race one with him falling on lap one after being tagged at slow speed by another rider, but he bounced back in a treacherous race two to take fifth place overall and first in the cup after leading the race at one point.  His success also earned him rider of the day from British Eurosport's commentator Jamie Whitham.
Cooper said: "What a fantastic weekend. We came here with the intention of challenging for a Cup podium. To be able to get away and run with these guys was amazing, and then to lead the race for a few laps was unreal but fantastic for the team. It’s been an amazing weekend for me, a huge thanks to Pete [Bradshaw, team owner], the team and all of our sponsors. This result shows just how competitive the Superstock championship actually is."
The talented yet very humble and down to earth character is putting everything he has into his career and working hard for the team that have given him one of the best opportunities ever to progress.  As well as his regular championship battle he also takes part in various club racing for extra practice.
Cooper said: “I am doing everything.  I don’t see myself different to anybody in club racing and anytime on the bike is good, that’s the same attitude that the team has.  If I go to a club meeting and win by ten seconds, I don’t think of it like that, I think that’s something we can take to BSB.  Also if any rider comes up to me for help, I would help them.  I think that’s what I do a bit with racing at club level because it helps other riders come on as they see my times.  Then next time they will set the bar that other riders will want to follow and so on.”
Talking about his Superstock season “We are a privateer team with no help from Yamaha.  We are on the new 2009 Yamaha and we are learning step by step.  Last year I did the R1 Cup but it was a very different bike.  This year would be good if it wasn’t for that Seeley [he laughs], it does sort of knock the edge off what we are doing as you put in podium after podium but he puts in win after win.”
“This is my first year back fully in a British Championship and to be honest I am a little star struck.  I have always watched the likes of Brogan so when I am behind him on track I end up following him not going around him if I can, the team give me more credit than I give myself.”
The van driver from Nottingham will continue in the Senior Superstock category at Brands Hatch in three weeks time aiming for another podium and trying to find a way to finally stop the straight win record of Irishman Alastair Seeley.