Ron Cox (racing driver)

Ron Cox (born July 12, 1966) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver who competed in the ARCA Racing Series for twenty-three years, mainly driving for Hixson Motorsports.

Ron Cox
BornRon Cox
(1966-07-12) July 12, 1966 (age 58)
Soddy Daisy, Tennessee
Awards1999 ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series Rookie of the Year
ARCA Menards Series career
165 races run over 23 years
Best finish4th (2001)
First race1987 Allen Crowe 100 (Springfield)
Last race2017 Fans With Benefits 150 (Iowa)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 34 0
Statistics current as of June 10, 2023.

Racing career

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Cox would make his first attempt in the ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series in 1984 at the age of seventeen, failing to qualifying for the event at the Springfield dirt track. He would not return to the series until 1987, where he attempted three races and failed to qualify for two. In 1988, Cox only attempted Springfield again, but would fail to qualify. After three more years without making a start in the series, he would return in 1991 for the Talladega race in a No. 46 Chevrolet, where he would finish 26th. After another four years without making a start, he would make five starts through 1996 to 1998.

In 1999, Cox would run the full schedule in the now ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series for Hixson Motorsports in the No. 23 Chevrolet, where he would get four top-ten finishes with a best finish of seventh at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds dirt track. He would finish eighth in the point despite failing to qualify for the season opening race at Daytona International Speedway on route to winning rookie of the year honors.[1] In 2000, he would drop to eleventh in the standings, although he would get his first top-five finish at Kentucky Speedway with a fifth-place finish. In 2001, Cox would run the full schedule again, this time finishing fourth in the points with six top-ten finishes with a best finish of seventh at Winchester Speedway, Salem Speedway, and Berlin Raceway. For the following year, he would spend a majority in the year in the No. 23 for Hixson, while running four races in the No. 50 on his way to finishing ninth in the points that year. At the season ending event at Lowe's Motor Speedway, he would be withdrawn from the event after the death of teammate Eric Martin from a crash involving Deborah Renshaw during a practice session.[2][3]

Cox would finish ninth in the points again in 2003, with seven top-tens and two top-fives with a best result of third at Berlin. His season was also notable due to being involved in a crash with Kyle Busch at the second Pocono Raceway event, where he would turn Busch into the inside wall heading into the first corner shortly after a restart late in the race.[4] Cox would go on the finish 21st in the race, while Busch would be classified in 25th position. Cox would only run the first five races of 2004, earning a best result of sixth at Salem.[5] He would run only six races in 2005, and would only run nine total races from 2006 to 2008, with a best result of ninth at Springfield in 2007 whilst driving for Bobby Gerhart Racing in the No. 5 Pontiac.

In 2009, Cox would run six races for Hixson, first driving the No. 57 Chevrolet for two races, although he was originally scheduled to drive the No. 23 at Salem, and then driving the No. 28 for his remaining races.[6][7] At the event at Springfield, he would lead eleven laps on his way to finish second behind race winner Parker Kligerman.[8] He would run five more races in 2010, getting a best result of tenth at Salem. In 2011, he would run fourteen of the nineteen races on the schedule, mainly driving the No. 28 for Hixson, although he would run one race in the No. 29 at Iowa Speedway. He would finish 17th in the final standings.

After making two starts in the series in both 2012 and 2014, Cox would return in 2017 at Iowa Speedway, driving the No. 3 Chevrolet for Hixson.[9] He would finish 25th after running only six laps due to vibrations in the car. He has not competed in ARCA ever since.

Personal life

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Cox currently serves as an industrial technology teacher as well as a weightlifting teacher at Sale Creek Middle/High School in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee.[10][11] He has also served as a high school football head coach at the school, and prior to that, coaching the Soddy Daisy Middle School football team. He had founded the Sale Creek High School football program in 2012 and was the team's first coach.[12] In the later years of his racing career, he would adorn the top of his drivers side window where his name would be with "Teachers Office".

Motorsports career results

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ARCA Racing Series

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(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)

ARCA Racing Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 ARSC Pts Ref
1984 Cleve Smith DAY ATL TAL CSP SMS FRS MCS LCS IRP TAL FRS ISF
DNQ
DSF TOL MGR N/A 0 [13]
1987 Cox Racing 08 Mercury DAY ATL TAL DEL ACS TOL ROC POC FRS KIL TAL FRS ISF
45
INF
DNQ
DSF
DNQ
SLM
DNQ
ATL N/A 0 [14]
1988 DAY ATL TAL FRS PCS ROC POC WIN KIL ACS SLM POC TAL DEL FRS ISF
DNQ
DSF SLM ATL N/A 0 [15]
1991 46 Chevy DAY ATL KIL TAL
26
TOL FRS POC MCH KIL FRS DEL POC TAL HPT MCH ISF TOL DSF TWS ATL N/A 0 [16]
1996 Hixson Motorsports 23 Chevy DAY ATL SLM TAL
17
FIF LVL CLT
22
CLT
19
ATL N/A 0 [17]
5 CLT
DNQ
KIL FRS POC MCH FRS TOL POC MCH INF SBS ISF DSF KIL SLM WIN
1997 23 DAY
DNQ
ATL SLM CLT CLT POC MCH SBS TOL KIL FRS MIN POC MCH DSF GTW SLM WIN CLT TAL ISF ATL
DNQ
N/A 0 [18]
1998 DAY ATL SLM CLT MEM MCH POC SBS TOL PPR POC KIL FRS ISF ATL
28
DSF SLM TEX WIN CLT
19
TAL
DNQ
ATL NA 0 [19]
1999 DAY
DNQ
ATL
11
SLM
14
AND
9
CLT
18
MCH
24
POC
14
TOL
12
SBS
28
BLN
10
POC
14
KIL
10
FRS
20
FLM
11
ISF
11
WIN
26
DSF
7
SLM
19
CLT
20
TAL
14
ATL
16
8th 4335 [20]
2000 DAY
28
SLM
28
AND
20
CLT
19
KIL
18
FRS
26
MCH
31
POC
15
TOL
12
KEN
5
BLN
17
POC
35
WIN
6
ISF
9
KEN
17
DSF
9
SLM
14
CLT
27
TAL
10
ATL
37
11th 3690 [21]
2001 DAY
36
NSH
11
WIN
7
SLM
7
GTY
12
KEN
16
CLT
11
KAN
10
MCH
18
MEM
16
GLN
13
MCH
13
POC
14
NSH
23
ISF
28
DSF
36
SLM
9
TOL
6
BLN
7
CLT
12
TAL
30
4th 5070 [22]
Pontiac POC
12
KEN
17
CHI
12
ATL
15
2002 Chevy DAY
24
ATL
12
SLM
22
CLT
23
KAN
26
POC
4
MCH
29
TOL
28
SBO
8
KEN
14
BLN
7
POC
12
NSH
6
WIN
7
CHI
10
SLM
8
TAL
16
CLT
Wth
9th 4405 [23]
50 Pontiac NSH
10
Chevy KEN
31
ISF
19
DSF
26
2003 23 Pontiac DAY
12
TOL
10
KEN
9
BLN
3
MCH
19
ISF
4
DSF
33
CHI
16
SLM
9
TAL
33
CLT
25
SBO
7
9th 4445 [24]
Chevy ATL
8
NSH
12
SLM
15
CLT
19
KAN
29
LER
24
POC
29
POC
21
NSH
19
WIN
31
2004 Pontiac DAY
22
29th 895 [25]
Chevy NSH
37
SLM
6
KEN
11
TOL
25
CLT KAN POC MCH SBO BLN KEN GTW POC LER NSH ISF TOL DSF CHI SLM TAL
2005 Pontiac DAY NSH SLM KEN TOL LAN MIL POC
34
MCH KAN
15
KEN
21
BLN
12
POC
13
GTW LER NSH
12
MCH ISF TOL DSF CHI SLM TAL 42nd 850 [26]
2006 Shaver Motorsports 49 Pontiac DAY NSH
DNQ
SLM WIN KEN TOL POC MCH KAN KEN BLN POC GTW NSH
27
MCH ISF MIL TOL DSF CHI SLM TAL IOW 135th 120 [27]
2007 Hixson Motorsports DAY USA NSH
24
SLM KAN WIN KEN TOL IOW POC MCH BLN KEN POC NSH 60th 425 [28]
Bobby Gerhart Racing 5 Pontiac ISF
9
MIL GTW DSF
21
CHI SLM TAL TOL
2008 Hixson Motorsports 28 Chevy DAY SLM
17
IOW 59th 455 [29]
29 KAN
25
CAR KEN
33
TOL POC MCH CAY KEN BLN POC NSH ISF
29
DSF
38
CHI SLM NJE TAL TOL
2009 57 DAY SLM
12
CAR
38
36th 810 [30]
28 TAL
24
KEN TOL POC MCH MFD
17
IOW KEN BLN POC ISF
2
CHI TOL DSF
17
NJE SLM KAN CAR
2010 29 DAY PBE
31
40th 655 [31]
23 SLM
10
TEX TAL
19
TOL POC MCH IOW MFD POC
22
BLN NJE ISF
20*
CHI DSF TOL SLM KAN CAR
2011 28 DAY TAL SLM
26
TOL
16
NJE CHI POC WIN
16
BLN
18
IOW
35
IRP
20
POC
40
ISF
22
MAD
13
DSF
17
SLM
24
KAN
24
TOL
34
17th 2025 [32]
29 MCH
34
2012 2 DAY MOB SLM TAL TOL ELK POC MCH WIN NJE IOW CHI IRP POC BLN
22
73rd 290 [33]
Ford ISF
12
MAD SLM DSF KAN
2014 RACE 101 3 Chevy DAY MOB SLM TAL TOL NJE POC MCH
15
ELK WIN CHI IRP POC BLN ISF
19
MAD DSF SLM KEN KAN 59th 290 [34]
2017 Hixson Motorsports 3 Chevy DAY NSH SLM TAL TOL ELK POC MCH MAD IOW
25
IRP POC WIN ISF ROA DSF SLM CHI KEN KAN 112th 105 [35]

References

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  1. ^ "Bill Baird Honored at Season Banquet". Motor Sport. December 13, 1999. Retrieved November 6, 2010.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "No blame assigned in fatal ARCA crash". St. Petersburg Times. October 20, 2002. Archived from the original on October 23, 2002. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  3. ^ "A brutal sport sometimes". Sports Illustrated. October 9, 2002. Archived from the original on May 1, 2008. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  4. ^ "Burning Busch The Phenom of the ARCA Circuit, Excitable Teen Kyle Busch May Someday Surpass Big Brother Kurt". Sports Illustrated Vault. ABG-SI LLC. September 1, 2003. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  5. ^ "Ron Cox Powers To Top 10 Finish". Chattanoogan. 27 April 2004. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  6. ^ Phillips, David (March 28, 2009). "ARCA Re/Max Getting Ready For Second Race of Season". Bleacher Report. Turner Broadcasting System. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  7. ^ "Series notebook 2009-03-25". Motorsport. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  8. ^ "Kligerman becomes youngest to win Crowe 100". The State-Journal Register. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  9. ^ Whitaker, Kent (July 7, 2017). "Sale Creek Football Coach Ron Cox Returns to the Drivers' Seat". East Ridge News Online. WordPress. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  10. ^ Mercer, John (December 3, 2019). "Golden Apple: Ron Cox". News 12 Now. WDEF. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  11. ^ "Teacher Websites: Ronald Cox". Hamilton County Schools. School Messenger. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  12. ^ Hargis, Stephen (October 19, 2012). "Ron Cox to coach football at Sale Creek". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Associated Press. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  13. ^ "Ron Cox – 1984 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  14. ^ "Ron Cox – 1987 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  15. ^ "Ron Cox – 1988 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  16. ^ "Ron Cox – 1991 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  17. ^ "Ron Cox – 1996 ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  18. ^ "Ron Cox – 1997 ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  19. ^ "Ron Cox – 1998 ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  20. ^ "Ron Cox – 1999 ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  21. ^ "Ron Cox – 2000 ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  22. ^ "Ron Cox – 2001 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  23. ^ "Ron Cox – 2002 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  24. ^ "Ron Cox – 2003 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  25. ^ "Ron Cox – 2004 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  26. ^ "Ron Cox – 2005 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  27. ^ "Ron Cox – 2006 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  28. ^ "Ron Cox – 2007 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  29. ^ "Ron Cox – 2008 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  30. ^ "Ron Cox – 2009 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  31. ^ "Ron Cox – 2010 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  32. ^ "Ron Cox – 2011 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  33. ^ "Ron Cox – 2012 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  34. ^ "Ron Cox – 2014 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  35. ^ "Ron Cox – 2017 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
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  • Ron Cox driver statistics at Racing-Reference