On the Radar | Kobi Cox
By Jeff McConkey
Name: Kobi Cox
Age: 14
Hometown: Brantford, Ontario
School & Grade: Last year I was home schooled for grade 8 because I spent the year living and training full-time at JWTF – Jimmy Weinert Training Facility in Maysville, North Carolina. This year I started grade 9 at Assumption College School in Brantford.
Number: 81 and it has been my number since I started racing at five years old.
Bike: Spent the first half of last year on a Yamaha 125, made the switch to a 2016 Yamaha 250F from McKee’s Powersports in March – rode that through to Loretta Lynn’s and then switched to Team Green and a 2017 Kawasaki 250 for Walton.
Race Club: Started with TVR when I was five and added CMRC to compete at Walton over the years. Now we pretty much ride with whatever club is holding events on the dates we are in Canada. Also rode for JWTF Racing in the Coastal Carolina MX series in North Carolina.
Classes: The classes are all different depending on where you ride so for CMRC I ride MX2 JR and Schoolboy and in the USA I ride 250C, JR (12-16), 250C. As of January 1, 2017 I am required to move to 250 B for AMA races.
This week, #81 Kobi Cox is ‘On the Radar.’ | Cox Family photo
How did you get started in racing?
My family used to have a boat when I was little and we kept it not too far from Gopher Dunes at the Turkey Point Marina. My dad had gotten me a KTM 50 for trail riding and one day when it was raining at the lake my dad said there were races at Gopher Dunes and did I want to go check it out. I entered my first race that day with TVR and we have been hooked ever since. The boat got sold, the toy hauler got bought and we have been going strong with motocross for 9 years now.
What is your favourite track and why?
Gopher Dunes has always been my favourite track because I just love riding in the sand and it gets so rough and rutted up. The tracks at JWTF are pretty great too because they are sand also. Jimmy and his crew spend a lot of time changing the tracks up so there is always something new to ride. That means a lot when you are training for hours every day.
Kobi made the switch to Kawasaki for the Parts Canada TransCan this year (if you look closely, you can see a hint of green) | Bigwave photo
Who is your favourite rider and why?
My favourite pro rider is Ryan Dungey. He is super talented and he seems to be such a good guy. He works really hard on and off the track, and he is never a dirty rider and he isn’t cocky.
What Canadian Pro do you look up to and why?
I would have to say Colton Facciotti. I did a bunch of training schools with him when I was little so I grew up watching him. I also think he has done a lot to promote motocross in Canada.
OK, here’s one of Kobi on his Kawasaki from a drier race at Walton this past summer | Cox Family photo
Who is your hero?
My dad is probably my biggest hero. He and my mom have always supported me in this sport and encouraged me through good times and bad (like when I broke my leg). They allow me to dream big and are willing to sacrifice for me to achieve my goals.
What were your goals this season?
My goal for the entire past year had been to make it to the Loretta Lynn Nationals in Tennessee. I qualified for the South East Regional in Tennessee in the 250C JR class as well as the Mid East Regional at Baja Acres. I peaked at just the right time and earned my ticket to Loretta’s by coming third overall at Baja. Winning a moto and finishing on the podium at a Regional was one of the best feelings in the world. My whole family was over the moon!
It was a huge accomplishment for Kobi to win a moto at the Regionals and then race Loretta Lynn’s this past summer | Cox Family photo
What are your biggest accomplishments?
I guess I am most proud of how I rode at the Baja Regional — what an amazing experience. I am also proud of the hard work I put in with my training. I have improved my fitness level, I have strengthened my work ethic and I have overcome some obstacles in my riding style. I feel my cornering is faster, my starts are improving and my overall confidence level is much higher.
What is your favourite part about going to the races?
I like to travel to new tracks; it is challenging and a little scary to race somewhere for the first time. It’s also fun to ride against different people because you never know where you stand when you line up at the gates for that first moto. But I am always just really excited to ride no matter if it is at my home track or somewhere new.
Actually, Kobi has been on the industry’s radar for quite some time now (shown here in 2013 with #79 Cameron Wrozyna) | Bigwave photo
What do you like to do when you are not racing?
I do like to play video games, it’s nice to just relax on the couch for a bit. It is also nice to just hang out with friends. I missed my friends when I was down south and I have made lots of new friends at school already this year.
Who would you like to thank?
I am super lucky to have supportive parents and my sister, Morgan, is always my biggest fan. Jimmy Weinert and his crew at JWTF took me in like family and I can’t thank them all enough. I would also like to thank Steve Simms, Joe Martin, Gaerne Boots, 6D Helmets, MCR and Trevor at McKee’s Racing. I would not be where I am today without the help of great people like these. Thanks very much.
