Round 2 of the Dutch and Round 4 of the Belgian Rallycross Championship at Valkenswaard was marked by a last seconds decision that cost Belgian VW campaigner Jochen Coox an almost secured overall victory.
With once again just four SuperCars the second round of the Dutch as well as the fourth round of the Belgian Rallycross Championship had another poor entry for what should be the ‘upper-house’ of our motorsport. Belgian Jochen Coox, who had been invited by the Swedish organisers to take part in the opening event of the 2014 STCC/RallyX at the Ring Knutstorp, but decided to race in his neighboring country of Holland, was eventually pretty pissed. “The Swedish organisers have called me three times to make me participate in the RallyX debut at Ring Knutstorp. As my Scirocco was already in Sweden, to be raced by Kristoffersson Motorsport in case their all-new Polo SuperCar would have not been ready in time, it was a tempting offer and it would have been quite easy for me to accept their invitation. However, I decided in favour of my Belgian and Dutch fans to race at the Eurocircuit,” said the Volkswagen dealer from Rekem near Maasmechelen later.
Pissed about the CoC, but here joking with Jos Kuijpers (left), Jochen Coox. © DS/ERC24
“After having claimed the fastest times of all three qualifying heats I was also leading the three cars Final, till I got the black flag in lap four. What then happened was really something I have never experienced in Rallycross before. I went to the Clerk of the Course, greeted him friendly and asked for the reason of my exclusion. All he did was telling me ‘that was for the banging’ to subsequently turn the back on me and to leave me standing like a kid. However, I did not give in and tried to get more info, but talked to deaf ears. I said that I had run the whole day with the same engine settings and had not been warned all day that the exhaust noise of my car was too loud. It did not help, whatsoever, the only reply I’ve got was ‘Coox, it is your own problem’. One can imagine that I was really unhappy with the situation and how I was treated and I decided later on not to drive at Valkenswaard again,” concluded the Belgian, who was baptized with the same name as the late Formula One driver Jochen Rindt.
Belgian Dave Van Beers made good use of his Renault Clio Mk2 to win in Super1600s… © DS/ERC24
…while Davy Van Den Branden eventually drove his S1600 Citroën DS3 to second place. © DS/ERC24
Belgian Kristof Bex powering his SuperNationals +2000 Volvo S40 Mk1 to victory. © DS/ERC24
In SuperNationals -2000 it was Belgian Joël Strackx who claimed victory with his Honda Civic EK4. © DS/ERC24
- Round 2 NLRC and Round 4 BRC, Eurocircuit, Valkenswaard (NL), 11.05.2014
- FINAL RESULTS SUPERCARS:
- 1. Ron Snoeck (NL) Seat Leon Mk2
- 2. Jan van Loon (NL) Ford Fiesta Mk7
- Ex. – Jochen Coox (B) VW Scirocco Mk3
- DNS – Ronny Scheveneels (B) VW Scirocco Mk3
- FINAL RESULTS SUPER1600S:
- 1. Dave Van Beers (B) Renault Clio Mk2
- 2. Davy Van Den Branden (B) Citroën DS3
- 3. Marcel Snoeijers (NL) Renault Mégane Mk3
- 4. Peter van de Wege (NL) Toyota Yaris Mk1
- 5. Dennis Remans (B) Ford Fiesta Mk6
- 6. Danny Luyten (B) Toyota Yaris Mk1
- 7. Willem Veltman (NL) Citroën C2
- 8. Dennis van Rijn (NL) Škoda Fabia Mk2 – DNF
- FINAL RESULTS SUPERNATIONALS +2000:
- 1. Kristof Bex (B) Volvo S40 Mk1
- 2. Bert Bosmans (B) Volvo 240
- 3. Björn Barkhoff (D) VW Polo Mk4/9N3
- 4. Filip Vanderheyden (NL) Volvo S40 Mk2
- 5. Roland Myny (B) Volvo S40 Mk2
- 6. Peter Thijs (B) BMW E36 Coupé
- 7. Ludo Helven (B) Marcos Mantis V8 – DNF
- 8. Ludo Hermans (B) Ford Escort Mk5 – DNF
- FINAL RESULTS SUPERNATIONALS -2000:
- 1. Joël Strackx (B) Honda Civic EK4
- 2. Martijn Vanhove (B) Toyota MR2 Mk1
- 3. Nick Snoeys (B) Ford Fiesta Mk6 RWD
- 4. Marc Vandenbergh (B) Seat Ibiza Mk2
- 5. Steven Stessens (B) Vauxhall Corsa B
- 6. Jef Mertens (B) Opel Corsa C – DNF
- 7. Johan Kwinten (NL) BMW E30 – DNF
- 8. Yves Moonen (B) Opel Kadett D – DNF
When the weather is all but perfect one needs perfect clothes… © DS/ERC24
Belgian Rallycross veteran Ludo Helven and his impressive SN+ Marcos Mantis V8. © DS/ERC24
Another machinery loved by the fans is the SN+ Ford Escort Mk1 “XXL” of Belgian Steve Volders. © DS/ERC24
Top photo: Jochen Coox dominated the whole event, but was eventually refused overall victory in SuperCars. © DS/ERC24