Cox upbeat after missing Shootout top spot

Rotorua's Sloan Cox (left) was joined by Sarah Coatsworth (right) as his co-driver for the Hyundai New Zealand Young Driver Shootout. PHOTO/ SUPPLIED

Rotorua's Sloan Cox may have missed out on the top spot at the Hyundai New Zealand Young Driver Shootout but he remains upbeat about his future.

Cox, 25, competed on the weekend alongside Canterbury's Job Quantock, Max Bayley from Hawke's Bay, Waiuku's Dylan Thomson and Rangiora's Matt Summerfield - with Quantock taking out the top prize.

Quantock, 22, was selected after impressive racing on Saturday and Sunday and assessment by Kiwi world rally star Hayden Paddon, rally driver Reece Jones, talented teens Pinnacle Programme leader Bernice Mene, Newshub senior sports reporter Shaun Summerfield and former Rally New Zealand chairman Chris Carr.

Cox, who was leading after the first day of racing with his co-driver Sarah Coatsworth, said he was in a positive frame of mind despite missing out and had learned a lot from the experience.

"Of course I wanted the top spot but it was a very hard event. Only 40 per cent was based on the driving while the rest was assessment," he said. "The criteria was difficult and I have to praise Job. He's a young rider coming through and he was what they were looking for.

"Overall I'm very happy with how Sarah and I got on - especially with the excellent driving the first day.

"We have done a lot of rally and work together in the past and work really well together.

"I've learnt a heck of a lot from the weekend and I'm very upbeat right now. I'm looking forward to what is ahead and can't wait to get back in the car."

Paddon added the shootout judging was almost harder than a rally.

"It was made even harder with how good and how close everyone was when we came to actually pick a winner.

"We weren't just looking for the fastest driver - it's the whole package, about their long-term potential."

Quantock won the prized seat for two rounds of the national championship and will also be mentored by Paddon as part of the prize package having only contested one full season and finished second in the Mainland Rally Series.

Quantock said it was a surreal feeling to win. "It's amazing, there was always a chance of winning, but I wasn't too sure how big a chance we had, being relatively new to the sport.

"It was whoever had the best package that Hyundai was looking for; luckily that was us."

Moving forward for Cox, the former Rotorua Car Club driver said he was now targeting success at Hahei's Leadfoot Festival in February.

"This is the next big event for me," he said. "It's the third year I'll be entering and I am going for the win after finishing up third this year. I'm excited about what is to come."