PCCNA: Career-best weekend for Sabré Cook at Watkins Glen
- LIAM REDFORD
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
Sabré Cook enjoyed a career-best weekend in Porsche Carrera Cup North America as the JDX Racing driver twice finished inside the top-7 at Watkins Glen, while matching her highest finish of sixth, having undoubtedly taken steps forward to now consistently challenging for top-5 finishes.
Sabré Cook enjoyed a career-best weekend in Porsche Carrera Cup North America as the JDX Racing driver twice finished inside the top-7 at Watkins Glen, while matching her highest finish of sixth.
During the 2026 season, Cook has undoubtedly taken steps forward with the JDX Racing driver now consistently challenging for top-5 finishes. At the Miami International Autodrome, Cook comfortably ran in fifth position for large parts of race one, before contact from a competitor put pay to a chance of a maiden podium finish. Nonetheless, her speed throughout the campaign has been impressive and she was now targeting a large haul of points at Watkins Glen.
In previous seasons, the New York circuit has been a productive venue for Cook who has scored championship points in all six past races. Securing top-10 finishes in three of her last four starts, Cook’s consistency has been key with the American racer arriving at Watkins Glen looking to achieve a career best finish at the track.
The first free practice session of the weekend took place early on Thursday morning. Despite some rain showers in the area, the drivers all gained valuable dry weather running with Cook setting the eighth fastest time. Her quickest lap of a 1:48.652 was just six tenths of a second away from pacesetter Janne Stiak as the Pro class field remaining extremely competitive.
Free practice two was held on Thursday afternoon in wet conditions with varying amounts of running throughout the field. Cook took advantage of the change in conditions as the JDX Racing driver completed a total of 15 laps. Setting the fourth fastest time overall, Cook banked valuable experience while clocking a quickest lap of a 1:57.450.
Qualifying took place in dry conditions early on Friday morning and with cooler track temperatures, the lap times improved from Thursday’s running. Cook was quickly on the pace and at the halfway point she sat in sixth position with a fastest time of a 1:47.723. Improving by a tenth of a second on her second run during an uninterrupted session, the JDX Racing driver qualified in eighth position with a quickest lap of a 1:47.676.
Race one of the weekend took place on Friday afternoon with Cook lining up from eighth on the grid. As the lights went out, Cook got a good start while a multi-car incident took place behind her at the first turn. After Scott Blind lost control over the kerb, her collected Alan Metni with Rob Walker and Chris Bellomo also caught up in the incident. As a result, the race immediately entered a full course yellow period with Cook remaining in eighth position.
The neutralisation was extensive due to the cleanup required with the race resuming on lap six. It was a clean restart throughout the Pro class field before battles emerged at the Bus Stop. Cook almost drew level with Paul Bocuse before she fell back in line while retaining eighth spot. At the end of the lap, race leader Tyler Maxson pitted with a puncture and this elevated Cook into seventh position.
At the conclusion of lap seven, Cook was just a quarter of a second behind Cole Kleck as she looked to apply pressure to the Topp Racing driver. Two laps later, Cook was the fifth fastest driver on track as she continued to set both fast and consistent lap times. While applying pressure to Kleck, Cook was particularly strong through the middle sector as she looked to force her rival into a mistake.
On lap 13, Kleck and Bocuse exchanged positions and this allowed Cook to close in on Bocuse as he lost momentum. While battling for sixth spot, Kleck and Bocuse picked up warnings for exceeding track limits and therefore Cook was in prime position to capitalise should her rivals pick up any time penalties.
After running just a quarter of a second behind Bocuse on the previous lap, Cook got an excellent run out of the final corner on lap 17 to draw alongside her rival. Completing the pass at turn one, the JDX Racing driver moved up to sixth position while she immediately pulled clear of Bocuse.
In the closing stages of the race, Cook was consistently setting top-5 lap times as she just ran out of time to catch back up to Kleck. Nonetheless, Cook took the chequered flag in sixth position to equal her career best finish in Porsche Carrera Cup North America with a strong drive at Watkins Glen.
Race two was held on Saturday morning with Cook lining up from eighth position courtesy of her second fastest time set in qualifying. It was a clean start throughout the Pro class drivers with Cook holding eighth position out of the first turn. The battles intensified into the Bus Stop with Cook almost drawing level with Kleck. Settling back into the pack, Cook completed lap one in eighth spot as she aimed to pressure her rival into a mistake.
Kleck was also looking to move forward and on lap two, he overtook Bocuse into the first turn. This allowed Cook to shape for a move into the Bus Stop, however the Kellymoss driver defended his position well. On lap three, the race entered a full course yellow period after Rob Walker made significant contact with the barriers at the Inner Loop.
Due to repairs required to the tyres, the neutralisation was extensive with the green flag displayed on lap eight. Cook made a good restart with the battles once again closing up on approach to the Bus Stop. Cook applied further pressure to Bocuse as she ran just a quarter of a second behind her rival. The lap times in the lower reaches of the top-10 remained extremely close and therefore Nikita Lastochkin began closing in on Cook.
After resisting the challenge of Lastochkin, this allowed her to focus forward on Bocuse once more. On lap 11, Cook ran just a quarter of a second behind Bocuse and now the Kellymoss driver was forced to defend his position. After a spell of sustained pressure, Cook made a superb move on lap 14 to move up to seventh position.
After passing Bocuse, Cook immediately pulled out a margin over her rival with Lastochkin also looking to capitalise. On the penultimate lap of the race, Cook set a personal best time to underline both her speed and tyre management in the latter stages.
A strong run to the chequered flag saw Cook cross the line in seventh position, while pulling out a margin of seven seconds over Lastochkin to complete a career-best weekend in Porsche Carrera Cup North America.
Cook’s racecraft was particularly impressive at Watkins Glen as she backed up a strong qualifying effort with superb race pace. Matching her career best result while securing her largest haul of points across a weekend, Cook drove superbly throughout the event.
The JDX Racing driver will now be looking to continue this momentum when Porsche Carrera Cup North America returns at Road America on the weekend of July 30th/August 1st.
