Image: Keith Muir.

Team Honda Racing’s Josh Hook endured a mixed return to racing at Mallala last weekend in the second round of the Swann Insurance Australasian Superbike Championship (ASC), vowing to increase his race fitness for upcoming rounds.

Hook sustained multiple injuries including a fractured neck, forcing him to sit out Wakefield Park’s opening round in March. His return resulted in a seventh place overall after making progress on Sunday.

Now back in the swing of competition, the talented 21-year-old is determined to make headway in time for Queensland Raceway on 29 June.

“It was a very hard weekend for me,” Hook admitted. “My first event since surgery a couple of months ago and although I was able to maintain a certain level of fitness in the downtime I really felt it this weekend.

“I feel the time off the bike and not having a lot of time on the new tyres put me behind the eight-ball a bit. I didn’t qualify well and it really hurt me for the races. Still, I took 38 points from the weekend and will now focus on round three in Queensland.”

Despite missing the opening round, Hook has rapidly climbed to 15th in the championship standings after two of six rounds.