Hartlepool & District Motor Club

Event Report

The Hartlepool round of the championship benefitted from a warm, dry, sunny day, and used the town centre car park which affords a perimeter balcony for spectators to look down on the competitors in complete safety. Two tests were laid out, each to be attempted six times during the day. The event would also count towards the Inter-Association Team Autotest, a once a year contest. Dave Mosey (Mini Special) took an immediate 1 second lead over Malcolm Livingston (Lindsay Special with Dave Evans (Blitz Special) a further 4 seconds back, and Chris Chapman (RAW Striker) the first sports car with a lead of just 1 second over Steve Morten (RAW Striker).
The lunchtime scoreboard saw little change at the top, with Dave Mosey extending his overall lead to 12 seconds over Malcolm Livingston, but Richard Pinkney (Caterham 7) was now just 2 seconds behind Livingston and leading the sports car class by 8 seconds from Steve Morten, both Ian and Chris Chapman having incurred penalties. Mark Thornton (Nova) held a commanding lead in the saloon car class, Warren Gillespie (Nova) having retired with a broken gearbox.
The afternoon tests saw Dave Mosey having to change a damaged radiator, but he charged on to beat Livingston by 16 seconds at the end, whilst Chris Chapman recovered his sports car class lead over Steve Morten when Richard Pinkney suffered broken rear axle mountings and incurred two maximum penalties. Mark Thornton won the saloon car class by 70 seconds over Jack Palmer (Nova).
The Clubman section saw 6 competitors attempt the same 12 tests, and Charlie Lower (Mini 1400) beat Tom Hall (Mini 1380) by 71 seconds.
The Inter-Association Team competition was won by the Association of Northern Car Clubs’ team of Ashley Slights (Mini 1380), Chris Chapman, and Dave Mosey by 144 seconds from the Association of North East and Cumbria team of Mark Thornton, Steven Haigh (Westfield 1700), and Malcolm Livingston.