Cox aims for top at Leadfoot Festival hillclimb

Rotorua rally driver Sloan Cox is looking to be the first non-Millen to win the Leadfoot Festival hillclimb at the weekend.

When you're invited to a party, it doesn't do to upstage the host.

But such social niceties will be far from his mind when Rotorua rally driver Sloan Cox takes to the hillclimb driveway tarmac of Rod Millen's Coromandel property this weekend.

Getting the better of his host will be priority number one.

Cox is one of about 150 drivers invited to this year's Leadfoot Festival - a weekend of motorsport hillclimb action at Millen's Leadfoot Ranch in Hahei.

Since it was first run in 2011, the name Millen has been top of the time charts. Rod was fastest up the 1.6km course for five years then his son Rhys did it in 2016.

Cox will be making his third appearance at the festival, finishing with the fourth best time in 2015 and moving up one place last year.

"A lot of people go there for the fun and the atmosphere. Last year we went kind of serious to see how we went, but this year we definitely want to win it and try and take the Millens off top stop. There is competition at the top and Rod takes it very seriously.''

The hillclimb will be the first outing of 2017 for Cox's 2004 Hillclimb Special Evo 8 - the Hillclimb Beast.

The Cox Motorsport team feels better prepared than in previous years. The car has been fitted out with the latest turbo giving it more power, paired with the best tyres possible and, with hopefully fine weather, is confident of having the right setup to go even faster this year.

"We've put a bit of work into it and got a nice fresh motor for it - just making it the best we can ahead of this weekend," said Cox.

The aim of the weekend is to post a quick enough time during the qualifying runs to make it into the top 10 shootout on Sunday afternoon to challenge for the overall event win.

Cox took second place in last year's New Zealand Rally Championship in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo10 rally car, but said driving the Hillclimb Beast was "wicked" on either gravel or, as at the Leadfoot hillclimb, tarmac.

"I enjoy gravel more all round, but in this car I haven't really got a preference - I love to take it to whatever big event is on."

From a driving perspective the weekend's event is unlikely to assist in preparation for a tilt at the 2017 New Zealand Rally Championship that begins with the Otago Rally in April, but it could be crucial in other ways.

"What it does is get the Cox Motorsport name in front of people more, so we are trying to increase our following in motorsport events like this one,'' said Cox.

''What that does is, it gets people in different areas of motorsport following us which is why it's quite important in terms of getting people behind us when it comes to doing our rally championship."

To keep up with the team's progress over the weekend, follow the action on www.facebook.com/CoxMotorsport and www.twitter.com/CoxMotorsport.

Leadfoot Festival
Brings together a unique mix of classic cars, vintage motorcycles and motorsport legends.
New Zealand racing legend, Rod Millen opens his private grounds at the Leadfoot Ranch to host more than 150 champion and competitive race participants.
The event was initially intended to celebrate Rod's 60th birthday in March 2011.
Among those taking part this year are Greg Murphy, Mad Mike Whiddett, Al Unser Jnr and Alister and Jimmy McRae.