EJ Automotive and driver Kristoff Kox impressed at round 4 of the Belcar Sprint Cup, taking two class pole positions and finishing 5th and 6th in the weekend’s races.

Kox topped class qualifying both times out in his Renault Clio 5 Cup racer. A first for the driver from Kapellen, with not one but a double pole position. Race one brought a 5th-place finish, while race two saw him cross the line just a metre behind the class winner — only to be demoted to 6th after a lap under the class minimum lap time.

A weekend that showed real pace from car and driver alike, with more to come at the next round at the Zolder Truck GP in a few weeks time.

Picture: (c) D. Noels

Kristoff Cox will be back on the grid for the next round of the Belcar Sprint Cup, taking place at Circuit Zolder as part of the 24 Hours of Zolder event weekend at the end of August.

The Belgian driver returns to the Belcar Sprint Cup Class 2, where he has previously fought for podium finishes on the historic former Formula 1 circuit. Racing alongside the endurance event gives the Belcar Sprint Cup round an extra layer of atmosphere, with a packed paddock and a full weekend of on-track action at the series home circuit.

For Cox, the Zolder round marks another step in his continued development in the series, and another opportunity to build on his race craft against a strong Class 2 field.

“Zolder is always a special place to race,” Cox said. “Coming back for this round, with the whole 24 Hours weekend around us, makes it even more exciting. The goal is simple — keep progressing and fight for a strong result.”

Picture: (c) D. Noels

EJ Automotive has completed a successful first test day with its recently acquired Max5 Cup racer, taking to the track at the North French circuit of Croix-en-Ternois to begin shaking down the new addition to the team’s fleet.

Behind the wheel for the test were Gregory Eyckmans and team owner Jurgen Evers, who returned to driving for the occasion after 13 years away from racing. The pairing put in a solid day of running, building mileage in the Max5 Cup car and gathering valuable data as the team begins preparing for its upcoming program.

“It was a great day for the team,” said Jurgen Evers. “Getting back behind the wheel after 13 years was a great feeling, and to do it with the Miata was very special as it is a car that holds a special place for me. The Max5 Cup car felt fantastic on track, and we’re excited about what lies ahead.”

Gregory Eyckmans echoed that enthusiasm: “The test went really well. The car is a great platform to work with, and it didn’t take long to feel comfortable and start pushing. It’s a promising start for this new project.”

With the first test day now behind them, EJ Automotive is looking ahead to a season that will see the team compete in a number of DNRT Max5 Cup races at Circuit Zandvoort and TT Circuit Assen, marking the start of a new chapter for the team in the popular one-make series.