Cox has Aussie Flag Flying High - posted December 21, 2006
The Australian flag was kept flying high with Brad Cox at last weekend’s (December 15 – 16) 6th annual Carolina Karting King of Concrete at Greensboro Coliseum, but the outcome certainly wasn’t what the 12-year-old from Gunnedah NSW was expecting.
First of all his ride in the 6th annual Carolina Karting King of Concrete event, where Cox was set to compete in two classes for the Keck Motorsport team, fell through at the 11th hour due to team unable to source the necessary parts in order to mount a competitive package. However, with every dark cloud there is a silver lining and this enabled Cox to concentrate of his support events in the Honda 120 and 160 Quarter Midget classes.
In both the Honda 120 and 160 Cox was plagued by transponder woes, which saw him struggle in qualifying. The format for the Quarter Midgets was qualifying, then top 12 qualifying which determined the top 12 starting positions for the 25-lap feature races. Cox, although violently flipping both of his cars in practice, ended up 12th and sixth respectively in the Honda 120 and 160 classes after qualifying. In the Honda 120 class top 12 qualifying session Cox’s transponder failed to register and therefore he was given 12th place.
The two 25-lap feature races for the Honda 120 and 160 classes were a much better story, with Cox coming home in sixth and third place. After starting the Honda 120 feature race out of position 12 Cox managed to work his way up to sixth at the finish, whilst in the Honda 160 feature race he charged his way up to second by lap 15 before “biking” his Castrol-Leckie Insurance Brokers supported machine the full length of the back straight, losing one position and finished on the podium in third place.
“It was a really tough track where the concrete surface was like glue after having COKE syrup sprayed on it. It was like nothing we had ever raced on before,” remarked Cox.
“In both of our feature races we had the car way too tight as when I entered the corners I basically had to slow right down to a crawl then turn the car in or otherwise I end up on my lid.
“Without a doubt it was the type of meeting where I was glad to just come away without any damage to either myself or my car, and it was certainly a unique experience, that’s for certain.”
Cox will now prepare for his next Quarter Midget event which is the Tangerine Invitational at Coco Beach Florida, scheduled for four days, commencing on Boxing Day (December 26)
Cox Leaves Lasting Impression - posted December 12, 2006
Brad Cox left a lasting impression at the Harrisburg Indoor Event in Pennsylvania, USA last Sunday (December 10) by taking one feature race victory in the Honda 160 class, and the Australian youngster narrowly missed out on wins in both the Honda 120 and World Formula classes.
The 12-year-old prodigy child and Gunnedah (North Western NSW) resident, was on the money to walk away with all three feature race wins, but narrowly missed out in the final stages in two of three when he finished third (Honda 120) and fifth (World Formula). In the Honda 160 class Cox scored a comprehensive feature race victory.
In the Honda 120 and World Formula feature races Cox was neck and neck for the lead, but in the Honda 120 was edged out after suffering steering problems to finish in third, whilst in the World Formula class he held down a comfortable lead only to make a slight error of judgment - spinning out of winning contention, but managed to work his way back from a rear of field on the restart with only a lap left to finish in fifth place.
“My first up appearance was very pleasing, and I felt that had a bit of luck gone my way then I could have walked away with all three wins,” Cox declared.
“I showed my speed well and truly in all three of my classes and I’m sure that things will only get better from here on in.”
Having only arrived in America five hours prior, the Brad Cox Motorsport team had no time to rest and went about assembling their machinery for all three classes of the Harrisburg Indoor event within 24 hours of stepping foot on solid ground. A lack of sleep could not prevent the youngster from being in a prime headspace for battle.
“Given that we didn’t have much rest, our results straight out of the box were wonderful,” he said.
“Once again, the hospitality of the Buckwalter Motorsport team [of Pennsylvania] has been outstanding and without their assistance this trip would have been alot harder.”
Cox was amongst 220 entries for the Harrisburg Indoor Event and was the sole representative of Australia.
Cox is now preparing for the 6th annual Carolina Karting King of Concrete ($ 3,000 to win – US Dollars) at the Greensboro Coliseum next weekend (December 15 – 16) where he will compete in two Go Kart classes for the Keck Motorsport outfit, in addition to the Honda 120 and 160 classes where the Quarter Midgets are part of the support program.
“It’s certainly going to be a busy weekend for me and my team, but it’s one that we are all very much looking forward to,” Cox enthused.
Brad Cox has arrived and like before this young Australian has turned heads immediately and wherever he visit he leaves a lasting impression on his rivals.
Cox Scores Close Second - posted December 2, 2006
Finishing a close second to Mitch Brien in the Junior Quarter Midgets feature race on Saturday (December 2) at Gunnedah Speedway, Brad Cox is in good stead prior to his flight to America later this week.
Although it would have been the icing on the cake of Cox’s recent winning form, the youngster was unfazed in running second to Brien, as he took out two from three heat race wins after starting from the rear in the field earlier in the meeting. With his home track of Gunnedah Speedway made difficult to pass on due to a rough surface, Cox tried every which way to break Brien’s lead, but was unsuccessful in doing so.
“You cannot win them all and full credit must go to Mitch [Brien] for a solid drive as I tried numerous times to get past but he didn’t budge,” Cox said.
“It was a very rough track. One where you had to wait for opportunities to present themselves in regards to effective passing moves.”
The focus now shifts back to Cox and his family team, who are set to take on America when they jet out of Australia this Friday, December 8.
In his third American Quarter Midget racing trip, Cox will be based once again in Pennsylvania with the Buckwalter Motorsport team. After landing firmly on American soil, Cox will be immediately set to work – his first big meet scheduled to run from December 9-10 in the Harrisburg Indoor event, where he is expected to compete in three classes: the Honda 120, Honda 160 and World Formula. He will then head to Florida to contest both the Tangerine Invitational and Little Smyrna 500 over the Christmas / New Year period.
In breaking news, Cox will also compete in two Go Kart classes at the 6th annual Carolina Karting King of the Concrete event as part of the Keck Motorsport team. The event awards a healthy sum of $ 3,000 (US DOLLARS) to the winner, and is to take place on December 15/16 at the Greensboro Coliseum. Cox will also be contesting two Quarter Midget classes at the same event.
Cox to Compete in USA - posted November 23, 2006
An email, out of the blue, has given Brad the opportunity to contest his first ever kart event in the USA.
Earlier this week, after sending the entries in for the 1/4 midget events, which are the support class at the North Carolina event, Brad received an email from Eric Keck, of Keck Motorsports, enquiring if he would be interested in driving for the Keck Motorsports Team in the illustrious $3000 to win KING OF CONCRETE event.
Never to let an opportunity go by Brad has jumped at the chance. It will be a busy event for Brad, who will now be contesting 2 x 1/4 midget classes and 2 x kart classes on the same program.
Brad would like to thank Eric Keck for giving him the opportunity to drive for his team.
Cox Claims Victory - posted November 21, 2006
For the second occasion in a row Brad Cox has claimed victory in the Junior Quarter Midgets feature race at Avalon Raceway (Lara, VIC) on Saturday (November 18) driving his # 17 Castrol Oils / Leckie Insurance Brokers supported NC car.
12-year-old Cox opted to start his three heats (12 laps) and feature race (24 laps) from the rear of the field, but that didn’t stop him from taking the victory spoils in one of his heats as well as the feature, despite finishing seventh and third in his remaining heats after suffering a puncture to the inside of his left rear tyre.
Fellow NSW driver and main rival, Mitch Brien battled his way to the front of the field in the feature race and after trailing Brien for a number of laps Cox hit the front running on the 16th lap and from there was never headed, defeating standout drivers Talia Roberts and Brien in the process.
“I battled with Mitch [Brien] for a number of laps for the lead and my patience paid off as I didn’t get too pushy and bided my time behind him,” Cox admitted.
“Every lap I weighed up my options, one being to go around him [Mitch Brien] on numerous occasions and although I was able to get up beside him I didn’t have enough to get passed.
“After a number of attempts on the high line, I went high, and then I ducked back underneath him when he went wide to protect my previous high line raids.”
All in all, Cox played a smart game and came out on top in the feature race, which once again demonstrated his maturity in spite of his age.
The next event for Cox is at Gunnedah Speedway on Saturday December 2, just days before heading to USA where he will contest five major events over the Christmas / New Year period.
Cox Gets Setup Right - posted November 14, 2006
One of the hardest tasks in Speedway racing is picking the right car setup, and on Saturday night (November 11) at Gunnedah Speedway, Brad Cox was lucky enough to make the right decision to be rewarded with the Junior Quarter Midget feature race honours.
Heading into the 30-lap feature race after finishing second in his three heat races, the 12-year-old from Gunnedah (North Western NSW) opted to loosen his # 17 Leckie Insurance Brokers / Castrol Oils sponsored NC Chassis car, the setup choice working out to be a master stroke that enabled him to take the win.
“Heading into the feature race I said to Dad [Michael Cox] that I wanted to free the car up, and he wasn’t too sure whether or not I was making the right decisions, but he went with my decision,” Cox said.
“For the feature race the track had dried out and became quite bumpy and after starting from outside of the front row I went backwards after I unsuccessfully tried the outside line.”
Sitting back in last place Cox kept his composure and started to pick his rivals off one by one, and with the setup working like a treat, Cox took over the front running from Ryan Fenech (who had earlier in the night claimed a heat race win) on the 20th lap, and he remained unchallenged from there on in.
“When I fell back to last place I didn’t get frustrated, as I just focused on getting back up to the front of the field,” admitted Cox.
“I was battling with Ryan [Fenech] for the lead and I couldn’t find a way past him until, after putting pressure on him for several laps, drifted wide going into a turn, allowing me to tack the lead.”
At the completion of the 30-lap event Cox sealed a sweet victory by five car lengths over Mitch Brien, with Fenech in third place. The win was one that hit home with Cox, as it was his first feature race victory on home soil after finishing second on every other occasion.
Cox and his family team have confirmed that they are to depart for their third American Quarter Midget racing trip on December 8 where they will once again be based in Pennsylvania with the Buckwalter Motorsport team. Once they land in the land of the star spangled banner, Cox will be immediately set to work, his first big meet scheduled to run from December 9-10 in the Harrisburg Indoor event, where he will compete in three classes: the Honda 120, Honda 160 and World Formula. Cox will then head to Florida to contest both the Tangerine Invitational and Little Smyrna 500 over the Christmas / New Year period. From there the team will travel to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where they will crew for Brad’s racing mentor, Steve Buckwalter, at the famous Midget event, Chili Bowl Nationals.
The next appearance on Australian soil for Cox is this Saturday (November 18) at Avalon Raceway (Lara, VIC).
Near Perfect Performance - posted October 31, 2006
Youngster Brad Cox produced a near-perfect score card on Saturday night (October 28) during the Junior Quarter Midget events at Avalon Raceway (Victoria), to record three wins from four races. Victory never felt so good for Cox, whose 28 hour round trek from his home base of Gunnedah in North Western NSW was made all the more worthwhile after his success.
12-year-old Cox suffered his one and only defeat of the meeting in the opening heat race where he finished second. But such a minor hiccup couldn’t put a dampener on his immaculate run for the rest of the competition. The track conditions over the course of the meeting were a bit of a handful but Cox managed to adjust his driving style, especially in the feature race, to easily defeat his nearest rivals.
“The track conditions didn’t make it the most easiest of meetings and I was glad to come away with three wins out of four,” said a jubilant Cox.
“In the feature race we missed the setup as the car was just way too tight in the corners, so I had to adjust my driving style and I was able to come away with the win in the end.”
Always up for a challenge, Cox started all three opening races from the rear of the field, and although he headed into the feature race as the highest point scorer (which would have had him off pole position), he persisted in battling his way from a rear of field start. His triumphant victories proof that the chase is what drives Cox’s hunger for the finish line.
“I really enjoy starting at the back of the field and working my way through the field, as it’s only going to improve my skills as a driver,” he explained.
“In the feature race Zane [Jordon] got out to a solid lead and it wasn’t until lap 16 (of 24) that I managed to pass him and full credit must go to him for what was a very good drive.”
The next meeting on the agenda for Cox and his team will be at Barleigh Ranch Raceway, near Raymond Terrace, this coming Sunday (November 5).
Eleventh Hour Decision Nearly Pays -posted October 17, 2006
12-year-old Brad Cox and his team made an eleventh-hour decision to venture across to Avalon Raceway, VIC last Saturday (October 14), to make a stunning appearance – almost taking home victory spoils in the Junior Quarter Midgets after their scheduled meeting, on the same day, at Gunnedah Speedway was cancelled.
With their home track meeting cancelled mid-week, the Cox family was not content to sit the weekend out at home, and so decided to make the trek to Avalon Raceway with their # 17 Leckie Insurance Brokers / Castrol Oils supported NC Chassis Junior Quarter Midget for this season’s first meeting on the recently remodeled track shape and surface.
Cox, who started his three qualifying heat races and feature race from the rear of the field, showed plenty of flair by finishing third and second in his first set of heats before a barnstorming victory in the third. However, Cox saved his best for last, putting on a show in the 30-lap feature race.
Starting from the rear of the field once more, Cox was involved in an opening lap crash that involved the majority of the field. Making heavy contact, Cox’s car suffered substantial damage, including a severely bent axle, along with various front end components.
With his “never say die” attitude, Cox refused to give in and took his place in the restart lineup. After spending the first 10 laps adjusting to a car that handled more like a dodgy shopping trolley, he began to progress forward inch by aching inch, and by lap 20 he had found his way into the lead.
Moments after grabbing the lead, Cox and second place became entangled and both drivers were sent to the rear of the field. By the 27th lap Cox had worked his way back into the lead, but in a dramatic stroke of bad luck, the yellow caution light came out. For the closing laps, Cox battled for the lead with his less than cooperative car, and each time he would gain the lead, a yellow caution light would be brought out, on numerous occasions.
Due to the number of yellow light periods in the final stages, the feature race was declared three laps shy of the complete distance, forcing Cox to settle with second place behind Garry Roberts.
“It was a very interesting meeting. It was disappointing to have the Gunnedah meeting cancelled, but instead of sitting at home we went over to Avalon and did the best I could,” Cox said.
“We were unlucky in the feature race, but that’s just the way things go, and driving with the front end damage was difficult. It took a number of laps for me to get a hold of the car, and once we did that I started to move forward, I only narrowly missed out on taking the win.”
Tamworth’s Oakburn Park Raceway (Northern Western NSW) this Saturday (October 21) is the next Junior Quarter Midget event for Cox.
Brad Cox Motorsport Launches into Cyberspace - posted September 21, 2006
Keeping up with child prodigy and Junior Quarter Midget racer Brad Cox, has been made easier with the launch of his own website www.BradCoxMotorsport.com, all thanks to David Batten Web Design.
The 12-year-old from Gunnedah, NSW, Australia, has set the Junior Quarter Midget ranks alight - not only on home soil, but also on the international scene after a number of eye opening performances in the US against older and more experienced riders.
www.BradCoxMotorsport.com is your one stop shop for all the latest news and happenings in the blossoming career of Cox. Age is no barrier for Cox who has his sights set firmly on making his number one love, motorsport, his fulltime and lifelong career.
Not only will Cox’s competition news and results be readily available on his official website, so too will be the latest statistics, photos and much more to keep you filled in on his fast-paced success.
Cox also welcomes site visitors to drop him a line or two via the guestbook, which is accessible from BradCoxMotorsport.com
Be sure to add his site to your favourites and check back regularly to see where and what this young champion is up to today.
A big thank you goes to David Batten for his superb efforts in making Brad’s official website a reality.
In other Brad Cox Motorsport news, Brad competed in Tamworth last Saturday (September 16) and end up finishing second in the feature race and placing second (twice) and taking a win in his three heat races. Brad elected to start all of his races from the rear of the field, and on a slick track, where passing was kept to a minimum his efforts were a testament to his talent.
Victory Spoils for Cox in Tamworth - posted August 22, 2006
In his first race meet after a whirlwind tour of America, Gunnedah youngster Brad Cox took out the Junior Quarter Midget feature race honours in Tamworth last Saturday (August 19) on a very demanding surface that required plenty of driver expertise in order to race fast and win big.
After finishing with a win (technically speaking, it was two wins only Cox was pushed back to third in the third heat) and two second places during his three qualifying heats, Cox was in position two in the 15 lap feature race alongside pole sitter and main rival Mitch Brien.
From the drop of the green flag Cox was outfoxed going into the opening turn by Brien, but managed to retrieve and maintain the lead soon after. Despite two caution periods during various stages of the race, it simply wasn’t enough to stop the winning ways of Cox as he took out a solid victory.
Throughout the meeting Cox and his team tried a number of setups and ideas that they had learnt in America, and all were a raving success for Cox and his # 17 Castrol Oils / Leckie Insurance Brokers NC Chassis Junior Quarter Midget.
“It was wonderful to get back behind the wheel of my car on home soil after my American trip,” commented the 12-year-old.
“The track conditions were very slick and this required plenty of smart driving where you couldn’t drive flat out and it all came down to throttle control.”
“We tried a number of things we learnt whilst over in America and they all seemed to work quite well.”
This week (August 22 – 24), in his home town of Gunnedah, Cox will contend the annual AgQuip - the largest agricultural festival in the Southern Hemisphere where over 100,000 people are expected to pass through the gates over three days. Cox will have his # 17 Quarter Midget on display at his major sponsor, Castrol Oils, tradestand.
Victoria’s Broadford Speedway is the next event scheduled for Cox on Saturday, September 9. Broadford Speedway is located one hour north of the Melbourne CBD.
This will be Cox’s first visit to the track, which is predominantly used for Speedway Motorcycle racing.
Brad Cox turns more than a Few Heads during his American Tour - posted July 26, 2006
Never in his wildest dreams did Brad Cox believe that he would have walked away from his second tour of America with a total of 10 Top four, including two wins, feature race placings from 11 Quarter Midget starts, but that was exactly what he achieved.
The Gunnedah (North-Western New South Wales) based 12-year-old showed his America rivals that he was no pretender and really stood up to be counted during his 11 events that he contested over four different states.
Cox impressed with his driving, that improved with more seat time, and it was coupled with a never say die Australian attitude.
“I had an absolute ball during my trip and the results I achieved were simply something that I, or my family, could have ever imagined,” Cox said.
“Everyone over there was very accommodating to us and it made our entire trip that so much more enjoyable, and I cannot thank them enough.”
In summary of his American tour, Cox competed in both the Honda 160 Heavy and Honda 120 Heavy class and recorded feature race results of two wins, 5 seconds, 3 fourths and one non finish.
The highlight, without doubt, from the whole trip for Cox was his run in the Gasoline Alley Nationals at Indianapolis Motor Speedway where in the Honda 120 Heavy class he qualified on pole position for the feature race and finished second.
“Although winning would have been great after qualifying on pole position, the result was fantastic all the same,” commented Cox.
“The Gasoline Alley Nationals comprised of drivers from all over America and even Canada, and it’s regarded as the Quarter Midgets version of the Knoxville Nationals for Sprintcars.”
Not only did Cox post outstanding results, but in the process he also opened the eyes of a number of well established figures in America, as Brad’s father commented.
“Brad’s results over our whole trip were unbelievable and it saw us attract a lot of attention, as many couldn’t believe how well he was running,” he said.
“Over in America the drivers don’t compete on both tar and dirt, and they were quite surprised that he was quick on both surfaces.”
Cox’s last event of his American tour was at Phoenixville Speedway last Wednesday (July 19) and he finished the Honda 160 Heavy feature race in second place.
There are already plans afoot for Cox to return to America as early as December this year.
“I cannot wait to get back to America and especially next year’s Gasoline Alley Nationals as I have a lot of unfinished business over there,” Cox said.
Cox concluded by saying a huge thanks to Buckwalter Motorsports and NC Chassis Co for all their hospitality and support, as without them the entire trip wouldn’t have been at all possible.
Gasoline Alley Nationals Finishes for Cox with a Podium Result - posted July 17, 2006
Brad Cox continued his stunning American Quarter Midget tour by finishing a fine second in the Honda 120 Heavy class A-main during last weekend’s Gasoline Alley Nationals at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
After qualifying on pole position for the A-main, Cox led the opening 15 laps of 30. A caution at half-race distance saw Cox drop back to sixth on the restart after running wide going into the opening turn.
Cox then drove valiantly to work his way back up to second place with only five laps left on the board, but despite his best efforts to reel in the leader, he finished in second.
“I ran too wide going into the opening turn on the restart and got ‘freight trained’,” recalled the 12-year-old from Gunnedah, New South Wales, Australia.
“With the competition being so tight, you simply can’t afford to make those kinds of mistakes, and although second is a good result, it’s disappointing at the same time, as I had race winning pace, and it was a mistake on my own behalf that cost me victory in the end.”
In the Honda 160 Heavy class A-main (over a 30-lap distance), which saw Cox have to qualify for via the B-main after being taken out whilst leading his qualifying heat race, things didn’t go quite to plan after he had worked his way up to fifth within the first 15 laps.
Shortly after moving into the Top 5 Cox was hit from behind by a fellow rival in a turn, which flipped him over onto his roof. In a controversial decision, Cox was sent rear of the field (after being able to restart) as the race officials deemed that he was the cause of the incident.
With nothing to lose, and a severely bent car, Cox took his spot at the tail of the field and after working his way past a number of cars clashed with another competitor and this resulted in him being recorded as a non-finisher.
The Gasoline Alley Nationals is regarded as one of the biggest Quarter Midget events of the year and is an open event that is entered by the best drivers in the World.
Cox’ next and final event of his American tour is this Wednesday (July 19) at Phoenixville Speedway (on the dirt), a venue where he took out both feature races in the Honda 120 and 160 Heavy classes at his last start.
Aussie Youngster Qualifies on Pole Position for Gasoline Alley Nationals - posted July 16, 2006
The amazing run of Australian driver Brad Cox has continued today when the youngster qualified on pole position for the Honda 120 Heavy class of the Gasoline Alley Nationals at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in only his fourth meeting on a tar surface.
12-year-old Cox blitzed the field in the Honda 120 Heavy class qualifying heat race and therefore earnt the right to start the A-main from pole position.
In the Honda 160 Heavy class Cox looked at good odds to score his second heat victory of the meeting only to be taken out by an overzealous driver whilst out in front, this forced Cox to drop back to fourth after riding out a huge bi-cycle (riding on two wheels) as a result of the contact.
With only the Top 2 placing transferring through to the A-main of the Honda 160 Heavy class, Cox was forced to take his place in the B-main where he finished fourth whilst battling an ill-handling car and will start the A-main from position 10.
“It would have been great to win both of my heat races, but that simply wasn’t to be,” Cox commented.
“I couldn’t be happier with my run in only my fourth appearance on tar, and to sit on pole position in the Honda 120 Heavy class is quite a feat.
“I’m now just focusing on tomorrow’s A-mains and hopefully we can finish with strong results in both.”
For live results simply logo on to: www.QuarterMidgetsLive.com
Stay tuned for a Brad Cox Racing media release shortly after both A-mains are completed.
The American Juggernaut Continues for Cox - posted July 11, 2006
The amazing American Quarter Midget tour of Brad Cox continued to flourish when the youngster from Australia competed at Doylestown Speedway, Phoenixville Raceway and Blackbird Speedway and it resulted with a string of impressive results over three nights.
Competing in both the Honda 160 and Honda 120 classes, Cox has upstaged many of America’s more established Quarter Midget drivers, and has well and truly ruffled more than a few feathers in his chase for success.
The highlight of the weekend for Cox took place at Phoenixville Raceway, Montgomery, PA on Saturday (July 8) when he scored comprehensive feature race wins in both the Honda 160 and Honda 120 classes.
At Doylestown Speedway, Doylestown, PA last Friday (July 7) Cox made his first appearance on the tar and finished fourth and second in the Honda 160 and Honda 120 feature races respectively. In the latter feature race Cox took the fight right up to Alison Cumens, who is regarded as unbeatable around that track and had there been five more laps things would have been interesting.
On Sunday night (July 9) Cox was once again in fine form when he returned for the second occasion of his tour on the dirt track of Blackbird Bend Speedway, Newcastle, Delaware. Cox finished in fourth in the Honda 160 feature race that was rescheduled from the Sunday prior due to rain.
Later on in the meeting at Blackbird Bend Speedway, Cox finished fourth and second in the Honda 120 and Honda 160 feature races in some exciting racing.
In the Honda 160 feature race event, Cox battled tooth and nail with the leader, a 16-year-old, who is the current track Champion, in his last ever race before he steps up to the Senior ranks, and had it not been for a late caution Cox would have won it after just taking the lead only for a caution to come and therefore he was put back to second.
Cox said that the past three meetings have been wonderful and he has earnt the respect of a lot of people after some barnstorming drives on unfamiliar tracks.
“This whole trip has been unbelievable so far and I’m riding on a wave of confidence heading into our next meeting,” expressed Cox.
“The competition is very tough and the racing that I have been involved in has been breathtaking, and I’ve been told it’s been quite a spectacular to watch from the sidelines.
“I’m hoping to continue my good run of form and also getting back to the tar tracks is something that I’m really looking forward to.”
After Sunday’s meeting at Blackbird Speedway, Cox test drove a Bullrider Chassis and was really grateful for the opportunity.
The next event that Cox will compete in is the Gasoline Alley Nationals that is to be held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (tar), Indianapolis, IN from Thursday – July 13 through to Sunday – July 16.
Youngster Ready to Tackle America’s Best on Both Dirt and Tar - posted June 2, 2006
After an impressive maiden America trip over the Christmas / New Year period, Brad Cox is set to return, where once again he will be based with the Buckwalter Motorsports team and will be contesting over 10 Quarter Midget shows on both dirt and tar Speedways during his 20 day onslaught.
12-year-old Cox and his family will fly out of Australia on Friday, June 30 and three hours after they arrive on American soil they are going to compete in their first meeting of a busy schedule at Atco Speedway (dirt). Cox will be contesting two classes at each meeting he goes to, Honda 160 heavy and Honda 120 heavy, and he is very much looking forward to hitting the track.
“I’m raring to go and I cannot wait to sample both dirt and tar Speedways,” beamed Cox.
“During our first trip to America I only ran on tar Speedways, so I’m really looking forward to getting out there on the dirt.
“I have a lot of confidence with racing on the dirt as I’ve done a lot of it here in Australia, and with the tar it takes a bit to get used to as the cars handle quite differently.”
However, although very excited, Cox knows the task that is ahead of him and that he isn’t going over there for a holiday.
“If I wanted a holiday I’d go to Disneyland, I’m here to race,” stated Cox.
“I’m hoping to build on my last visit to the USA and the natural aim is to do well.”
When asked whether contesting so many meetings in such a short period of time will be taxing, Cox replied.
“Of course it is, but that’s just all part of the fun,” he said.
“Contesting as many shows as possible is going to be very exciting but at the same time very tough.
“In saying that it’s also going to sharpen me up as a driver and that can only be a good thing.”
Cox continued on by saying that without the support of Buckwalter Motorsports, International Motor Racing Products and Billy Roberts from Grizzly Dyno Shocks, along with the rest of his great sponsors, this trip would not have been possible.
“I cannot thank them enough, they are helping me realise a long-term dream of mine to become a fulltime race car driver,” Cox commented.
“They have helped us to no end to get back over to America and hopefully I can repay them for the faith they have put in me by recording some strong results.”
During his American trip Cox will be based out of Pennsylvania with the Buckwalter Motorsports team and is going to be campaigning two brand-new NC Extreme 02 Quarter Midgets. Cox will run his Honda 160 heavy car in his Australian livery, whilst his Honda 120 heavy is going to be decked out in Buckwalter Motorsport colours.
With little time to rest Cox is scheduled to arrive in America on June 30 and fly back to Australia on July 21 and it is a busy schedule where he is only going to have one spare day in-between racing, preparing cars and testing.
Brad Cox Racing Schedule:
Friday – June 30 Atco Speedway (dirt)
Sunday – July 2 Blackbird Speedway (dirt)
Wednesday – July 5 Montgomery County Speedway (dirt)
Friday – July 7 Doylestown Speedway (tar)
Saturday – July 8 Oaklane QMRC (tar)
Sunday – July 9 Blackbird Speedway (dirt)
Thursday – July 13 Gasoline Alley Nationals (tar)
Friday – July 14 Gasoline Alley Nationals (tar)
Saturday – July 15 Gasoline Alley Nationals (tar)
Sunday – July 16 Gasoline Alley Nationals (tar)
Wednesday – July 19 Montgomery County Speedway (dirt)
Cox Carries Winning Form into American Assault - posted June 22, 2006
With less than a fortnight before he travels over to commence his second American assault, Brad Cox took out the Quarter Midget honours last Saturday (June 17) at Oakburn Park Speedway – Tamworth in his final appearance on Australian soil before his racing trip.
Having never previously competed at the Oakburn Park venue, 12-year-old Cox drove his # 17 Leckie Insurance Brokers / Castrol Oils supported NC Quarter Midget to a dominant performance around the 120 metre granite / sand surface track.
Despite tasting overall success, Cox suffered his first defeat since January this year in the opening heat with a second place after he was sent to the rear of the field due to making contact with a fellow rival whilst battling for the lead.
However, the rest of the meeting for Cox was pure magic as he romped to victory in the remaining three heats over a distance of 12 laps each after starting from the rear of the field in all of his heat races.
In the 20-lap feature race, Cox once again started at the tail of the field. From the drop of the green, Cox got away to a good start and by the fourth circuit he had powered into the lead which he never relented. On a track that was deteriorating, Cox was able to flourish in the conditions and despite numerous stoppages; the Gunnedah (Northern NSW) based racer had the wood over his rivals.
Cox was pleased with his performance, especially taking winning form leading into his American racing adventure.
“I had a very good weekend, even though I got into a bit of strife in my opening heat, but that’s just another learning experience for me,” Cox conceded.
“It’s a good confidence booster before I head over to America, and hopefully I can achieve similar success once I’m over there.
“I’m very much looking forward to the whole trip and getting amongst the action, as it cannot come soon enough.”
With the Oakburn Park Speedway, running with the Speedway Bikes on the same program, that saw the track turn very slick, which suited Cox very aptly.
“It turned into a real driver’s track and I really enjoyed that,” admitted Cox.
“I drove my car to the track conditions; even if that meant slowing down to go faster.”
The following day (Sunday - June 18) Cox was scheduled to compete at Barleigh Ranch Speedway (Raymond Terrace) for the first ever Quarter Midget meeting there but unfortunately that meeting was cancelled due to inclement weather.
Cox and his team flies out of Australia on Friday, June 30.
Cox's Avalon Raceway Clean Sweep - posted April 5, 2006
In what was his last appearance of season 2005/06 at Avalon Raceway – Geelong - Victoria, Brad Cox last Saturday (April 1) walked away with another dominating performance after claiming all three heat races and the feature race comfortably steering his # 17 Castrol Oils / Leckie Insurance Brokers supported NC Junior Quarter Midget.
After five shows at Avalon Raceway this season, Cox kept his perfect record in tack with a total of 20 race wins from as many starts, quite an impressive record to say the least.
With his perfect record of race wins Cox drove with plenty of precision and thoroughly deserved all the success he has gained due to the amount of effort the talented 11-year-old and his team put into their racing nearly every weekend by traveling all the way from the North - Western New South Wales township of Gunnedah.
At last weekend's meeting Cox, once again, made further progress, mainly how he went about winning his races and is starting to be more hands on in terms of car setup.
"With the more racing I have been doing, the more I learn about the car and how it handles best," conceded Cox.
"This has certainly helped Dad, as he no longer has to make all the decisions as I am there to give him feedback and we can both discuss which way we want the setup."
Over the course of the meeting Cox dominated proceedings by driving with plenty of skill and maturity. Recently, Cox has started to focus more on his fitness level.
"There were a few times out there on the track where I was able to avoid accidents and my reaction time is getting better and better," Cox said.
"I have been working a lot on my fitness level by playing basketball and swimming regularly."
Brad Cox Blitzes Adelaide - posted February 22, 2006
Had it not been for a non finish in his opening heat race, Gunnedah youngster Brad Cox would have scored a clean sweep of proceedings of the Junior Quarter Midget’s maiden appearance at South Australia’s Wingfield Sidewinder track last Saturday night (February 18).
Aside from throwing away his first heat race while well out in front until he spun out of contention, the rest of the night was pure magic from the 11-year-old who took out the three remaining heats along with the 30-lap feature race aboard his # 17 Leckie Insurance Brokers / Castrol Oils supported Junior Quarter Midget.
“Brad drove very well throughout the meeting, and his only mistake was in his first heat when he spun out, but he’ll learn from that,” commented Brad’s father Michael Cox.
“Overall we had a very enjoyable trip and it certainly makes the miles travelled worthwhile when you come home a winner.”
In the 30-lap feature race Cox led from the outset after starting from pole position and it wasn’t until lap 24 when a caution was brought out which allowed fellow New South Wales based racer Mitch Brien to catch up. Brien put Cox under some pressure on the restart, but after that wake up call Cox powered way and claimed a solid win.
One area that Michael commented on was how race smart young Brad is getting and this was clearly evident while running around the Wingfield Sidewinder track.
“For his age he is getting very race smart, like where to put the car on the track and the major advantage is the way he gets through traffic,” Michael commented.
“While others are cautious Brad just goes for the gap and it’s quite surprising how his maturity is developing. I think that his short time over in America had smartened him up, as over there they don’t give you an inch and you have to really fight for every position.”
Brad and the entire Cox family would like to say a special thanks to the entire Wingfield Sidewinder club for a fabulously run meeting and all their assistance.
Chloe Cox, Brad’s six-year-old sister, made her debut in the novice 120 Junior Quarter Midget class and finished the feature race in second.
This coming weekend (Saturday – February 25) the Cox family will hit the road, once again, this time to Avalon Raceway in Melbourne - Victoria where Brad is hoping for a continuation of his winning form.
The Winning Ways of Brad Cox Continue - February 27, 2006
Geelong’s Avalon Raceway (Victoria) was the venue for the latest Brad Cox onslaught after he took out all three heat races and the feature race for the Junior Quarter Midgets in fine style last Saturday afternoon (February 25).
It was another dazzling display from the Gunnedah youngster aboard the # 17 Leckie Insurance Brokers / Castrol Oil sponsored machine, who handled his opposition and a heavy track surface with ease in only his second visit to Avalon
For Cox the opening 12-lap heat saw him sent to the rear of the field after a lap two altercation with a fellow rival. Despite this setback, Cox was able to fight his way back and take victory. Cox continued his winning ways in the second and third heat after coming from third and the rear of the field grid positions respectively.
In the 30-lap feature race Cox was the highest point scorer and started at the rear after officials inverted the entire starting field. At the drop of the green flag Cox began his forward progress strongly and had worked is way into the lead by the fourth lap. While Cox was well out in front the only caution period came out on lap 20 and this bunched up the field and set up a 10 lap sprint to the chequered flag.
This allowed second placed Mitch Brien to close up Cox and after a spirited challenge; Cox was able to shake off Brien. At the fall of the chequered flag Cox completed his Avalon clean sweep, winning by 1/3 of a lap.
“Brad got faster and faster as the meeting went on and by the time the feature race came around he was on the ball,” said the 11-year-olds father Michael Cox.
“He (Brad) was able to master the heavy track conditions and with great feedback on what the racecar was doing we were able to find a good car setup. It makes everything a whole lot easier when the driver can relay good data after each race.”
Brad’s younger sister Chloe Cox made her second appearance in the novice 120 Junior Quarter Midget class and the 6-year-old finished the meeting in third place.
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