Cox takes positives from Finnish RX Academy round

Rotorua's Sloan Cox in action at the Finnish RX Academy round. Photo / RX Academy

It was not the weekend Sloan Cox was hoping for at his second European rallycross event but he is already focused on what he needs to do to improve for the next round in August.

Cox is contesting the RX Academy, a five-round competition and coaching programme based in Finland designed to help competitors develop a career in rallycross, one of the fastest growing forms of motorsport.

Having secured third place at the opening RX Academy round in May and the same placing in an Australian rallycross event last month, the 26-year-old headed back to Europe excited to compete again last week but did not qualify for the final.

"I'm still feeling positive after the weekend. Even though I didn't have the pace, at the end of the day I know I've got the pace. I just have to tidy up my driving and I think more seat time in a front wheel drive car is the key," Cox said.

The event got under way last Wednesday with an optional test day available to all academy participants in identical Renault Clio rallycross cars. Next was a day of mental and physical training, part of the academy's coaching programme.

"I can see things I can improve, but was pleased to see my reaction times were really good and it showed on race day. It's great being part of the academy group, everyone is getting on even better now than we did in the first round and it's great we can be friendly outside the car, yet when it comes to race time, we race seriously," he said.

Friday's first practice run saw Cox second fastest straight off the start line.

"But then over the whole weekend I felt like I just wasn't improving while others were getting quicker with each run. After three qualifying races, I was sixth in my semifinal so I didn't make the final. The lack of experience in front wheel drive let me down a bit, compared to some of the other drivers who are competing regularly in them."

Cox described the Honkajoki track as being even faster than the previous round in Holjes, with a greater ratio of gravel to tarmac.

"I thought I'd like it more having a gravel background from rallying, but in the races it didn't quite go the way I thought it would with my mindset being more how I'd drive a 4WD car."

Cox has three more RX Academy events this year on August 11 in Jalasjarvi, August 25 in Kouvola and the final on October 7 at Tierps in Sweden.