JORDAN COX AND HIS TWO-LITRE ROCKET

Jordan Cox at the Bathurst 12 Hour – Photo: Darin Mandy

THE MOTTO “thou shall use all the power at one’s disposal” at Mt Panorama sits well with most of those who have raced there.

In the Improved Production support races at the Bathurst 12 Hour, Ray Hislop certainly did with his 6.0-litre Falcon as did Matt Charry and Damian Milano in their V8 Holdens.

But someone forgot to tell Jordan Cox. Driving a 2.0-litre Honda Civic, the 23-year-old mechanic put in three brilliant races, gaining the praise of rivals, the admiration of trackside spectators and an enormous new fan base through the livestream of two of the races.

Cox and the giant-killing Honda finished the weekend with a second outright and two fourth places. Naturally he won his U2L and did it easily. But what really stood out was the way he took the fight up to his bigger engined and more powerful rivals.

Jordan Cox at the Clipsal 500 – Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

His car did not have the straight line punch to match the turbos, the six and eight cylinder cars on the run up Mountain Straight and down the long chute of Conrod Straight. But where the combination was really strong was across the top of the mountain and in the braking areas at the bottom of the circuit.

It was the several audacious passing manoeuvres on the mountain top that made those viewing gasp in astonishment. Two were captured on the livestream. Both happened on the run from McPhilliamy Park across Skyline.

On separate occasions Scott Wilson (Holden Commodore) and Leigh Forrest (Toyota Celica Turbo) were hanging to brake as late as possible, Cox was still hammering at full noise and sailed past them. Yet he still braked in sufficient time to get down to Forrest’s Elbow with a handy margin… only to be chased down on Conrod.

Those who identify with Cox know he is good, particularly his father Graeme.

“He now has the (U2L) track record at all three NSW circuits – Bathurst, Sydney Motorsport and Wakefield Park,” he said.

The father and son share the car, purchased from Andrew Tendli after he won the U2L Nationals in 2014. Graeme won the U2L Nationals in the Civic at Phillip Island late last year while Jordan not only prepares this car but the team’s Honda Integra as well. When Auto Action caught up with him, he was busily getting both cars ready for the Improved Production support races at the Adelaide Clipsal 500.

They are setting up for a two-car attack at the South Australia event, where both will take on big guns. Both the Civic and Integra have highly-developed 2.0-litre B-series engines with the blocks machined and modified by Golden Eagle Manufacturing in the United States.

Jordan Cox racing Improved Production at Clipsal 500 – Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

The engines are built in Australia and depending on how hard the drivers want to push them, can push out between 270-285bhp (201-212kW).

“Suspension development has been key to the Civic’s performance,” Jordan said.

“It was very well sorted for slower speed circuits and we utilised our Integra knowledge to make the Civic better on the fast tracks where the sway bar controls the weight transfer and while it may not look nice, it does the job.”

Even at the racetrack between races, Jordan has plenty to do.

“I am always doing something, changing this and that and looking to improve the car and make it quicker.”

The younger Cox began racing in 2012 in an IP Suzuki Swift GTi, which was also an under two-litre car until a turbo was brought into the equation. In 2014 he contested some NSW Pulsar Challenge races as well as other events such as the Wakefield 300, sharing a Mazda MX-5.

The Cox Motorsport Nissan Pulsar N15 which has been used for leasing and driver will be back in action at the Bathurst 6 Hour on April 14-16.

“Hopefully I can put on a show as good as the 12 Hour weekend!

“We are club level racers, just chipping away. As a driver I would love to reach the pinnacle here and overseas, but it quite an investment for little reward,” Jordan said.

“Racing laps is great but what I really love is being able to progress as a self-taught driver-tuner. It is very satisfying feeling the changes you make yourself and applying those skills with a professional race team would be something I would seriously look at.”

What Jordan has achieved so far has at least been recognised by one Supercar outfit, which has already requested Jordan’s resume to keep on file.

GARRY O’BRIEN