Autotest Report

23 May 2015

 

Robin Lyons takes overall win at Autotest

 

Robin Lyons scorched to a convincing win on the Lakeland Tours Autotest last Saturday. In near perfect Autotest conditions a small crowd of spectators saw Lyons, in his very rapid Mini, stay ahead of  multiple champion Steven Ferguson in his extremely agile  ‘special’ to clinch Overall position and the Class ‘C’ win as well.

 

Some 22 competitors entertained and thrilled the dedicated band of Autotest fans on the Severfield-Engineering yard at St Angelo. Clerk of the Course Keith Boyd and his organising team had four tests running simultaneously all afternoon. This was round 5 of the Aughrim Filling Station ANICC N Ireland Autotest Championship.

 

Local drivers Jonni and Tommi McDaid shared their beautifully prepared Mini in the Small Saloon Class. Jonni had to give second best to a blistering and dominant performance by Lyons and also finished up 10th Overall. Dad Tommi put up a gutsy display but finished some 15.8 seconds adrift, 4th in Class and 14th Overall. Third in this Class was Norman Ferguson who finished a mere second behind McDaid in what was the closest-fought class of the day.

 

Steven Ferguson won Class ‘A’: the FWD Specials and Sportscars  class by 20.5 seconds from Guy Foster with Peter Grimes a further 4.8 seconds behind.

 

Class ‘B’: RWD Sportscars and Specials, was won by Paul Blair in his immaculate Sylva Striker with Ashley Lamont 23.6 seconds adrift in his gloriously-sounding Cosworth-engined Striker. Gareth Dillon was third.

 

Class ‘D’: the Large Saloons was won by Paul Mooney in  a Nova with David Thompson 2.4 seconds behind in second also in a Nova whilst third was Mark King in yet another Nova. King broke a driveshaft after Test 2 and did a magnificent job to get back into the fight. Other dilemmas included George McMillan damaging his gearbox in the Nova he shared with his son Jamie. . Boyd also awarded a ‘Special Highest non-registered Competitor Award’ to Paul Phelan in his FWD Special.

 

At the finish in the Airport Café Keith Boyd thanked Ian McCutcheon of Lakeland Tours for their sponsorship and Severfield Engineering for the use of their yard. He also paid thanks to all the marshals and officials who helped out on the day and this was greeted with a round of applause from the competitors.

 

 

Posted by PMcCollum on 29/5/2015; Last updated by PMcCollum on 29/5/2015