By Barry Lindsay

The annual New year Autotest, New Years Eve and Pirelli factory was on maintenance over Christmas se we can use the car park. 12 tests we planned on the tarmac carpark. 12 drivers signed on and walked the tests before driving them. The longer tests was helping to remove the Christmas excess chocolate!

Test 1 Stephen Dixon was quick out the starting blocks in the lightweight Corsa to get 52s, Kenton Pattison was using the SMC club car and he showed its pace getting 56s, Barry Lindsay was next on 57s in the 106, Andrew Robinson 4^th also using the Club Car Fiesta getting 1m00. Neil Thomlinson brought out his mini but got a wrong route.

Test 2 was the same and followed on Stephen repeated his first run 52s, Barry tried to close the gap with a 55s, Andrew Graham got 58s in the throaty sounding Fiesta ST. John Ross & Andrew R both got 1m00.

Test 3 was different route but Stephen was still quickest getting 45s, John & Barry both got 47 along with Neil Thomlinson who was suffering overheating problems with the mini but had got the hang of it.

Test 4 Stephen repeated his time again with 45s, Barry & Andrew G were only a second behind then Kenton on 47s.

Test 5 was another different test but Stephen was on fine form with 53sec, Barry had no answer to the pace getting 56s, Andrew R on 57s then Andrew G on 58.

Test 6 was a rerun, Stephen was obviously inch perfect on each run as his times were identical each run. Another 53s Andrew R got near with 54s, Barry on 55 then Kenton on 56s.

Halfway results showed 1^st Stephen on 5m00, 2^nd Barry on 5m16, 3^rd Andrew G on 5m29, 4^th Andrew R on 5m37, 5^th Chris on 5m38, 6^th Kenton on 5m41, 7^th Helen 5m54, 8^th Nigel H 6m00 9^th John R 6m02, 10^th Neil T on 6m08 11^th Kieron on 6m30 then 12^th Jon on 6m30.

Test 7 The fight back began Fastest was a four way tie, Kenton, Stephen, Andrew R & Barry tied on 1m24, Andrew G was next on 1m28.

Test 8 The long test would seam to be Stephen’s weakness ( 2015 will be the year of the 2 mile Autotest!!!) Barry was quickest on 1m21, Kenton & Andrew R on 1m22 then Stephen on 1m23

Test 9 Kenton got the fastest time of 42s, Barry on 43s with an dying 106 that was misfiring. Stephen & Andrew on 44s.

Test 10 Stephen upped his pace again getting 42s, Andrew G on 43s, Kenton & Andrew R on 44s.

Test 11 was the first run of the head to head where two cars start together on two identical tracks along side.

Stephen & Barry ran side by side and there wasn’t much in it Barry got an early advantage but Stephen crossed the line on 44s one second ahead of Barry. Andrew G also go 44s then Kenton got 45s

Final test Stephen got 43, Andrew R got 45, Barry on 46 and Andrew G on 48. Nigel Harkness got only the second wrong test of the day on the final test.

Results

1st Stephen Dixon           10m 44                 7^th John Ross                     12m 17

2^nd Barry Lindsay             11m 07                 8^th Neil Thomlinson           12m 25

3^rd Andrew Robinson         11m 20              9^th Helen Gibbon               12m 32

4^th Andrew Graham           11m 28               10^th Nigel Harkness            12m 34

5^th Kenton Pattison           11m 35                11^th Jon Stynes                 13m 01

6^th Chris Hunter               12m 02                 12^th Kieron Stynes             13m 12