Indianapolis racing driver Stephen Cox has finalized a two-race deal with Cole Morgan Racing for the Joliet Grand Prix at Autobahn Country Club near Chicago, June 13-14. The 8+7-hour doubleheader marks the eighth round of the 2026 Champcar Endurance Series schedule at a track where Cox scored podium finishes in 2023 and again in 2025.

Cox will pilot the team’s Ford Mustang GT in both races, bringing additional Champcar endurance experience to a squad that has already proven its potential. Cole Morgan Racing made a strong debut at Watkins Glen in late May, winning the D class championship at the seventh round of the Champcar season.

Sponsorship for the Joliet Grand Prix effort comes from Geezzup Collector Cars, Cars-n-Convos, and JR Fastener Corporation. JR Fastener is a family-owned fastener distributor headquartered in nearby Bensenville, Illinois, making the Autobahn event a home race for the company. Members of the JR Fastener ownership team will attend the event and join the crew on pit road. Cars-n-Convos and Geezzup return as supporting sponsors from 2025 as well.

The sold-out Joliet Grand Prix features a 50-car field competing on Autobahn Country Club’s road course in Joliet, Illinois.

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Indianapolis racing driver Stephen Cox has announced an eleven-race schedule over seven weekends for the 2026 season, mixing endurance road racing with high-speed straight-line testing aboard Blue Thunder, his 1980 Fox body Mustang. Cox is sponsored by Sopwith Watch Company, Geezzup Collector Cars and Cars-n-Convos.com.

The season opens April 11th with the 14 Hours of Daytona, one of the marquee events on the Champcar Endurance Series calendar. Cox returns to the legendary Florida circuit with Allen Martin’s Ford team after competing in multiple endurance events throughout 2024 and 2025, including a national championship run with Wittenauer Racing.

From there, the schedule shifts to Blue Thunder duty. On May 30th, Cox will take the freshly restored Mustang to the Connersville Airport for top speed testing on the runway – a format that has become a favorite for the Sopwith team. The Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois follows on June 13th, driving a BMW for Gorilla Sticker Racing, with whom he posted a win at Ozarks International Raceway in 2025.

Cox then heads to Virginia International Raceway on August 1-2, the storied road course where raced a Ford Mustang in 2024. Just five days later, a return to the Marion Airport on August 7th provides another opportunity to chase straight-line numbers with the McGunegill-powered Fox body.

The fall brings Cox back to endurance competition at Pocono Raceway on October 10th before closing out the year with a visit to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on December 29th. COTA’s 3.4-mile, 20-turn Formula 1 circuit is among the most demanding tracks in North America and promises to be a fitting end to the season. It will be Cox’s first visit back to the facility since being severely burned there in a 2016 car fire. He will run both races in Gorilla Sticker’s BMW.

“I have unfinished business at COTA, so overall, it’s a good mix,” Cox said. “We’ve got endurance races at world-class facilities and high speed test runs for Blue Thunder. That’s exactly how I like to spend a year.”

Apr 11 – 14 Hrs of Daytona
May 30 – Connersville Airport
June 13 – Autobahn
Aug 1 – Virginia International
Aug 7 – Marion Airport
Oct 10 – Pocono
Dec 29 – Circuit of Americas

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With the dash pad installed and the rear seats freshly reupholstered, it was time to tackle one of the most overlooked components of any Fox body interior restoration: the doors.

Anyone who has owned a 1979-86 Mustang knows that the factory door panels are among the first casualties of age. After four-plus decades of elbows, sun damage and general neglect, Blue Thunder’s original panels looked rough. But they were salvageable, and saving original parts is always worth the extra effort when you can.

The restoration process was tedious but straightforward. Each panel was sanded down, stripped, treated with soap and then alcohol to remove every trace of contaminant. From there it was primer, satin black paint and clear coat. The results were better than expected. I also salvaged the original door trim inserts in Wedgewood Blue (Ford Paint Code 34), which was important to me. In a build where so many components are necessarily new, retaining something original gives the interior an authenticity that reproductions can’t replicate.

The lower door panels presented a unique challenge. Nobody makes replacement carpet trim inserts for these early Fox doors, and the later inserts don’t fit. So I ordered black carpet material and cut the pieces by hand at the Sopwith racing shop. It’s not glamorous work, but it’s the kind of effort that separates a real restoration from a catalog shopping spree. The contrast between the Wedgewood Blue inserts and Satin Black panels gives Blue Thunder’s interior a presence that the original all-blue cabin never had.

I also addressed the door hardware. The original window cranks and interior handles were worn and sloppy, so I replaced them with fresh reproductions and new retaining clips. It’s a small detail, but when you drop into the driver’s seat and reach for the door handle, everything should feel tight and deliberate.

With the door panels snapped into place and the new front bucket racing seats bolted down, Blue Thunder’s cabin is nearing completion. It’s taking longer than expected – it always does – but the result is a cohesive interior that blends 1980s Ford heritage with the aggressive, purposeful character this car deserves.

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Restoring a classic Fox Body Mustang is more than a mechanical project; it is an exercise in preserving automotive history while infusing it with modern performance. Our project car, a 1980 Mustang nicknamed “Blue Thunder,” is currently undergoing a complete interior transformation. This week, we shifted our focus from the engine bay to the cabin, aiming to create a cohesive environment that honors its Ford heritage while adding contemporary comforts.

A Fresh Foundation: Dash and Electronics

The centerpiece of the new interior is a freshly installed dash pad. Original Fox Body dashboards are notorious for cracking after decades of UV exposure. To rectify this, we installed a high-quality reproduction urethane dash pad, which provides a factory-correct grain and texture.

Integrated into this new dash is a modern Kenwood head unit. For an older Fox body like Blue Thunder, updating the audio system is essential for daily driveability. We used a specialized installation kit to ensure the head unit sits flush within the center stack, providing modern Bluetooth connectivity and superior sound quality without compromising the classic aesthetic.

The Color Palette: Wedgewood Blue and Satin Black

The visual identity of Blue Thunder is built around a striking dual-tone theme. We are utilizing Wedgewood Blue (Ford Paint Code 34), an authentic 1980 Ford color that offers a deep, original hue. This is being paired with satin black for a high-contrast, aggressive look.

To achieve this, we have meticulously repainted all interior trim panels. Using specialized SEM interior lacquer, we refinished the plastic components to ensure a durable, factory-fresh bond that won’t flake or peel.

Seating and Final Assembly

The final piece of the puzzle involves the seating. We recently finished reupholstering the rear seats to match our vision for the cabin. These will be paired with a set of new front bucket racing seats, providing the lateral support needed for a car with “Thunder” in its name.

Our goal is to have the final trim pieces snapped into place and the seats bolted down by the end of this coming weekend. Once complete, Blue Thunder will finally have an interior that matches its name—a perfect blend of 1980s nostalgia and modern racing spirit.

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Listen in at Spotify below, or also on iHeartRadio, iTunes, and wherever your get to enjoy the show!

https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/S3XLkxw7SWb

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On Saturday, the team’s BMW 328i finished strong with a 3rd place overall position, and secured 2nd in C class. However, it was Sunday that truly highlighted their weekend. After an impressive start that saw them take the lead early in the race, Stephen had the privilege of driving in the late afternoon to help clinch a C class victory after a grueling seven-hour endurance event. The car performed beautifully throughout, with only a mild vibration in the rear end in the race’s late stages.

Cox credits the weekend’s success to his teammates and team owner Joe Bungert. “They drove extremely well and did most of the hard work for me before my shift even began,” he remarked. “The BMW drives beautifully. It points well in the corners and the brakes are fantastic. And this track is so fast and fun. It’s really technical and very challenging.”

With sponsorship from CarsnConvos.com, Stabil brand fuel stabilizer, JR Fastener Corporation, Geezzup collector cars, and 303 Products, this victory is yet another chapter in Cox’s career — 26 of his wins have come on road courses while eight were achieved on asphalt and dirt ovals. As always, Gorilla Sticker proves to be fast with reliable cars that can withstand the rigors of endurance racing while allowing its drivers to shine when it matters most.

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“I love the driving style that this track demands,” Cox said after the race. “It’s filled with sweeping corners and double apex turns and really suites me and (teammates) Barry, Joe and Glenn. I’ve driven the track in both Corvettes and BMW’s and it’s fun and exciting every time, no matter what car you’re driving.”

With additional support from CarsnConvos.com and Geezzup.com Collector Cars, Stephen Cox will return to action at the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois in June with Gorilla Sticker Racing. Cox leads the F class points chase with Wittenauer Racing and likely will be eligible for the C class title with Gorilla Sticker in 2025 as well.

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Wittenauer Racing led every lap in F Class competition and maintained a position within the top three overall during much of the weekend. Despite a lightning storm that halted racing on Saturday, the team returned to action in the rain to score the victory on Sunday. Aside from a broken sway bar, the Wittenauer Mini Cooper performed flawlessly throughout the event.

The victory gave Cox his first national title, his third series championship and the 33rd victory of a motor racing career that spans dirt, asphalt and desert racing on both ovals and road courses.

“I’m grateful to Wittenauer Racing for bringing me on board,” said Cox, who has notched six victories in his last eight starts. “Dylan and Ron really helped me understand the 303 Products car a lot better. They have a lot more front wheel drive experience and they really know these cars. John and Kelly Wittenauer put me in the car both Friday and again on Sunday, and I’m truly thankful to have been a part of their effort.”

Stephen Cox’s participation was supported by sponsors including Sta-bil brand fuel stabilizer, JR Fastener Corporation, Sopwith Watch Company, Geezzup Collector Cars, and Cars and Convos.

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Cox emphasized his limited role with each team, having participated in four events in the 2024 season. “Both of these teams would have been in the title chase with or without me – let’s make that absolutely clear – so I’m just thankful to have been some small part of their success. It’s pretty exciting to be associated with two teams that are serious contenders for the national title in the same season.”

Despite his abbreviated driving schedule, Cox’s contributions came at pivotal moments for both teams. ATL Speedwerks secured the overall Champcar points lead in October following a notable victory at Atlanta Motorsports Park, where Cox drove with teammates Skyler Cottrell and Todd Lamb to achieve an overall win. Meanwhile, Wittenauer Racing has established itself as a formidable contender after posting back-to-back F class victories (and fourth place overall) at Champcar’s Summer Showdown held at Nelson Ledges Race Course, where Cox drove in two more events.

Both teams will begin the championship weekend from pole position in their respective classes.

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“I just enjoy walking the floor and meeting up with old friends from the industry,” said Cox, who posted 5 victories during the 2024 racing campaign. “PRI was once held in Orlando, but attendance seems to have spiked since it moved to the Indianapolis Convention Center several years ago. I think it’s been good for the event.”

Attendees were treated to an impressive display of automobiles meticulously designed for exhibition at the show. The array of vehicles not only showcased cutting-edge technology but also reflected the innovative spirit that drives the performance racing industry forward. Cox also conducted an interview with the owner of Wittenauer Racing in the media’s conference room, providing valuable perspectives on future developments. Cox joined Wittenauer Racing briefly last summer to post back-to-back class wins at Nelson Ledges Race Course in Ohio. The PRI show underscored the significance of making and retaining contacts within the motorsports community and provided a superb means of maintaining communication with sponsors.

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