By Barry Lindsay

Longtown Spring Auction Autotest wasn’t very spring like, with flurries of snow in air and an arctic wind blowing over the car park.

Two test sites were set up and tarmac area and a loose area. Michael Lindsay & Caroline Lodge marshalled Tests 1 & 2 on the tarmac area while Ian Robinson marshalled the loose area tests 3 & 4.  15 Drivers lined up for the 10 tests that lay ahead. Barry lead the event off but was to be on a back foot from the off by clipping a cone. Newcomer Jon Stynes was quickest with 1m01 ahead of John on 1m06 then another newcomer Danny Little with 1m07.

On the re-run Barry fought back with 58sec ahead of Andrew with 59sec then Nigel on 1m08.

On the gravel test Danny showed his speed getting 1m05 in his lowered Saxo. Jon got 1m09 with the mini followed by Andrew, Nigel & George on 1m10. Wrong routes for John, Eric & Mike dropped them back.

On the re-run Jon & Barry tied at the top with 1m07 ahead John & Neil V with 1m09. This test also saw the retirement of Neil T & Kenton who had a brake pipe burst.

Positions after Test 4

1  Barry Lindsay         4m27                    8  Kieron Stynes     5m15

2  Andrew Graham    4m30                    9  Danny Little       5m16

3  Nigel Harkness       4m39                    10 Helen Gibbon   5m30

4  Jon Stynes               4m42                   11 Mike Hebson       5m32

5  John Ross                4m58                   12 Pete Johnson      5m38

6  Neil Varah               5m00                   13 Eric Ritchie         6m10

7  George Edminson  5m04

With the routes changed and walked, it was tests 5 & 6 and also 7 & 8. Test 5 Barry got the 106 around in 46sec, ahead of Andrew & George both on 49sec then Helen on 51sec.

On the re-run George showed the speed of the micra along with Jon both got 48sec ahead of Andrew, Neil V and Nigel all got 49sec Barry dropping back with another cone. While Eric got a wrong test.

On the gravel section Jon & Barry tied on 52 sec followed by Andrew on 54sec then John & Neil V on 55sec.

On the re-run George was quickest on 50sec ahead of Barry and Jon tied again on 51sec, the Andrew, Danny & Neil V on 53sec.Two test remained, this was a bigger but quicker test joining up both tarmac & loose section.

Barry & Danny were quickest with 54 sec then Mike who stretched the legs of the Midget and Jon who got 55sec.

For the final run Andrew was leading by three seconds. Quickest were Jon & Barry on 54sec, Mike again on 55sec then Andrew on 56sec.

RESULTS

1^st  Andrew Graham       9m39             8^th  Mike Hebson     10m56

2^nd Barry Lindsay          9m40             9^th  Kieron Stynes     11m19 (1^st Jnr)

3^rd Jon Stynes                 9m53             10^th Helen Gibbon   11m27

4^th Nigel Harkness        10m14            11^th Danny Little       11m34

5^th George Edminson   10m25            12^th Pete Johnson    12m14

6^th Neil Varah                 10m33           13^th Eric Ritchie       12m21

7^th John Ross                 10m39            14^th Phil Jobson       12m54

Retired: Neil Thomlinson & Kenton Pattison.

Thanks to Longtown Auction Mart for the use of the car parks and to Michael, Caroline & Ian for marshalling.

(Images © B. Lindsay/ E. Ritchie/ Spadeadam Motor Club 2013)