DORCHESTER, ON – Jamie Cox, of Dorchester, and the Ramsay-Cox Racing Team kicked off their 2012 campaign last Friday night at Delaware Speedway for the Pre-Season Shootout Exhibition event.
Cox was wheeling his familiar white #22 Stubbs Communications / London City Chrysler / CANUSA / APC / Total Lubricants / Charger with the team planning on attending the Sunset Speedway Pro Late Model event on Sunday for a second race of the weekend.
The season-opener at Delaware featured a packed house for $10 opening night, and Cox had a solid performance to open the campaign in his 15-lap qualifier. After starting ninth, Jamie blasted forward during the opening laps to run sixth as the field got settled. Cox hounded Jay Christie, and made the pass into the top-five on lap 13 to open the season for a fifth-place finish. “Our whole goal tonight,” explained Cox. “Is to do some testing, and keep the car in one piece for Sunset on Sunday night.”
In the 20-lap main event, a field of 23 cars took the green with Cox rolling from the outside of the seventh row, and climbing to 13th early in the event. Jamie continued to press on, passing Dan Prudhomme for 12th on lap nine. He would pursue Shawn Thompson over the second half of the race, but settled for a 12th-place result. “We were pleased with what we learned about the car tonight and think we fixed what we need to fix for the next race at Delaware.”
Kirk Hooker jumped to the lead quickly and paced the field for the entire 20-lap yellow-free feature, with Cole Powell and Jay Christie rounding out the podium.
RESULTS:
1. Hooker, 2. Powell, 3. Christie, 12. Jamie Cox.
***
The Ramsay-Cox Racing Team headed to Barrie for Sunday’s opening Pro Late Model race at Sunset Speedway and Jamie had one of the five fastest cars throughout the practice session. “I thought we were in good shape. The car was fast, and I knew we could be competitive.”
After winning one heat race, and finishing third in the other, Cox was inverted back to ninth on the starting grid for the 75-lap main event, but issues arose early as the car starting missing on Jamie. He would fight for the first 18 laps, but finally the miss became too much, and after getting lapped he brought his Dodge to the attention of his crew. The crew quickly diagnosed the problem as a lack of power to the ignition, and charged the battery, while catching a break with a timely yellow flag.
Jamie retuned in time for the green and would pit under the next few yellow flags to have his battery charged before the crew made a complete battery swap, while losing a minimal amount of laps.
Cox would take advantage of a total of eight ‘lucky dog’ awards, eventually climbing back on the lead lap and fighting to a 12th-place finish. “It was a disappointing night, because we were so fast in practice and in the heat races, and had a top-five car, but the crew worked hard, and did a great job keeping us in contention. We were able to fight back from many laps down, and made the best of a really bad evening. I think that showed what our guys are made of, because they stayed committed to getting us back out as fast as possible every time.”
Local track champion ‘Stompin’ Tom Walters captured the victory in the McColl Racing Enterprises Pro Late Model Series opener, with Mike Bentley second, and Steve Laking third.
RESULTS:
1. Walters, 2. Bentley, 3. Laking, 12. Jamie Cox.
The next event for the Ramsay-Cox Racing Team will be Saturday June ninth at Flamboro Speedway in the first event of the Grisdale Triple Crown.
For more information on Total Lubricants, London City Chrysler, Stubbs Communications, CANUSA, APC, Total Lubricants, Delaware Speedway, Sunset Speedway, or Flamboro Speedway, please visit www.stubbsco.com, www.londoncitychrysler.com, www.autopartscentres.com, www.total-lub.ca, www.delawarespeedway.com, www.sunsetspeedway.ca, www.flamborospeedway.ca or contact Luke Ramsay at (519) 268-7070.
Release and photos by www.maudsleymotorsports.com.
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