Cook still believes Peterborough Panthers can serve up some success this season

But the defection of four-times world champion Nicki Pedersen, who walked away from his season-long contract with the Panthers after crashing on the second bend of his first race in the opening match of the season against Ipswich, has taken its toll.

But there have been some bright spots among all the gloom as the club still search for a replacement number one and one of those has been the form of top-flight newcomer BEN COOK.

The 25-year-old Australian looks at the early days of his top-flight career in this country as the Class of 2023 take us behind the scenes in our exclusive HOLESHOT MEDIA column.

"I didn’t really know what to expect when I stepped up into the Premiership this year after two seasons racing in the Championship at Poole.

“I wanted to make the step up this year and when the offer came through from Peterborough, I didn’t think too much about it.

“It’s going good so far. Obviously, I haven’t had too high expectations but so far so good. Every meeting is a learning curve, there are new tracks to learn as well and that includes the East of England Showground.

“I’d been to Leicester before because they were in the Championship last year and 2021, but I hadn’t been to Belle Vue and I hadn’t really been to Wolverhampton either. I rode in Rory Schlein’s Farewell meeting in 2021, but it was raining and the track was like a mud pit so it wasn’t a good gauge.

“Racing in the Premiership is definitely more difficult than the Championship and obviously I have more to learn so I am just taking each meeting as it goes. The level of competition in the Premiership is a bit higher than racing in the Championship, everyone is good, especially on their home track.

“Hopefully, I haven’t had my best moments yet, but I have been getting a few heat wins which is always good.

“What I want now is a good one at home! Our season has been going for around five weeks and I’ve still only had two meetings at Peterborough, but hopefully I will know what to expect next Monday when we are back there.

“I’d only been to Peterborough once before and that wasn’t to ride. I went with Chris Holder to watch his younger brother Jack racing for Sheffield and, even though we had our Press and Practice Day before the first meeting this season, we didn’t even get to start the bike up because of the weather.

“It’s a bit more difficult when you are going to everyone else’s track and the riders know their home circuit but you don’t have the experience on your own home track. You want to hit the ground running and that’s difficult when you don’t have that home track knowledge but I am looking forward to getting a few more home meetings in now.

“We haven’t had the best of starts and no-one wants to lose five meetings in a row, but considering our circumstances, not having had a full r a consistent one to seven so far, it hasn’t been easy for any of us.

“Once we sort out a number one and everyone settles in I feel like we have got a lot to give. I think we can be a strong team and if we had had a number one we could have won our home match against Ipswich, but that wasn’t to be.

“We went close at Leicester and even on Monday night at Wolverhampton we were close again but lost. Once we all start firing and get a full team, things should change.

“Not having a number one is the elephant in the room and it’s not ideal, but we are all going out and doing our best.

“I’ve been a reserve so far, but I’d like to make it into the top five, get into the main body of the team, and just to be as consistent as I can be and score good points. yf you win races you score the points and I’m sure that’s what everyone wants to do.”

Panthers are back at the East of England Arena on Monday night (7.30pm) when Ipswich are the visitors in the Premiership Knock Out Cup.