CSMA NE London Group Autotest

Event Report

Alastair Moffatt was favourite to win the latest round of the 2015 demon tweeks Direct BTRDA Autotest Championships when previous winners, Richard Pinkney and Malcolm Livingston non-started the CSMA event on Sunday. However a wrong route on the third test incurred a maximum which dropped him to ninth after the first round. Paul Fobister took full advantage but when he hit a cone on test 7 the lead was less secure. Chris Chapman (Striker) was challenging for the lead but collected a couple of penalties on tests 6 and 7. Dave Evans (Blitz) dropped eight seconds to Fobister in the first round as he suffered from lack of grip but gradually caught up as the day progressed.

 

There was only two seconds covering the top four with one round to go. As we finished the fourth round the earlier rain returned and test site C was particularly slippery. Moffatt took full advantage in the Mini Special (the ex JJ Farrell car he has bought from Ireland). On test 13 Moffatt took the lead while Fobister took time off Evans. On test 14 Evans took time off Fobister but it was the dreaded last test that settled the runner up spot. Evans was 1.4 seconds faster than Fobister and stole the runner up spot by 0.1 second.

 

In the sports cars it was also very close. Chris Chapman and Stephen Morten, both in Strikers, traded times all day and each had three penalties. In the end the class was won by Chapman by 0.8 second. If either had avoided penalties they would have won the event.

 

Duncan Wild (ABS) finished sixth after his usual battle with Ian Chapman (Riot) who was seventh. The two Scottish Nova drivers, Willie Keeling and Warren Gillespie, made the top ten after some excellent driving on three tight tests. Mike Biss made good use of the limited space. Bert Greenaway used the manoeuverability of  his Bertone Special to good effect to finish tenth with the best Mini of Rob Rolston just behind in eleventh.

 

Organiser: CSMA Where: Milton Keynes When: May 31^st  Championships: MSA, BTRDA and Southern Autotest, Entries 21; Starters 17.

 

1 Alastaair Moffatt (Mini Special) 549.5; 2 Dave Evans (Blitz) 552.2; 3 Paul Fobister (Haigh Special) 552.3; 4 Chris Chapman (Striker) 559.6; 5 Stephen Morten (Striker) 560.4; 6 Duncan Wild (Freestyle) 580.4; 7 Ian Chapman (Riot) 592.4; 8 Willie Keaning (Nova) 601.6; 9 Warren Gillespie (Nova) 613.5; 10 Bert Greenaway (Bertone) 651.9.  

Classes; A Rob Rolston (Mini) 653.0; B Keaning: C Chapman; D Moffatt.