Cox takes junior lead at Whangarei

 
Cox takes junior lead at Whangarei

Rotorua teenager Sloan Cox has survived treacherous conditions at the International Rally of Whangarei and has been rewarded with the lead of the Junior New Zealand Rally Championship.

Sloan and sister Tarryn received a wildcard entry into the Asia Pacific Rally Championship section of the event and were keen to impress after a strong result at the previous national championship round, Rally New Zealand.

Things didn’t go to plan however. Although Cox was pushing hard and had a good feeling in the car and with his pace notes, the times just weren’t coming due to a suspected lack of power and by days end Cox was fourteenth. Despite this, Cox still took second junior for the day, taking advantage of trouble for his rivals.

“I thought my lack of pace was because I couldn’t commit to the notes but I realised by the afternoon that the notes were good and I was driving to them,” said Cox.

After the fine weather of day one, day two bought some of the most difficult conditions seen in the New Zealand Rally Championship for years. Torrential rains on some of the most challenging roads in the championship meant that Cox and his fellow competitors were kept well and truly on their toes.

After learning a lot in the tough conditions as the day went on, Cox’s pace got faster and faster and he steadily moved up the leader board and for the day ended up 9th NZRC competitor and again second junior. Amongst the competitors in the APRC, Cox took fourth placing, taking points in an FIA championship for the first time in his career.

Despite a tough weekend, a finish paid dividends and Cox has moved his way into the lead of the junior New Zealand Rally Championship, 29 points ahead of Ben Jagger. He also sits seventh in the overall championship heading into the penultimate round, Rally Nelson, from August 21.
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