Knutsford Autotest

Date: 11th July 2010

An old friend returns to Autotesting - not Paul Fobister, but The Haigh Special

Photographs of the Knutsford Autotests by Gavin Dickson & report by Duncan Wild

BTRDA Round 9, Wrexham, Sunday 11^th July 2010

Organisers: Knutsford & DMC

Where: Demon Tweeks, Wrexham

Championships: MSA, BTRDA, ANWCC, ANCC, WAMC

Many of the competitors enjoyed a meal on Saturday evening at The Holt Lodge, near Demon Tweeks where the second event of the weekend took place. The Championship sponsors, Demon Tweeks always make the competitors welcome for the Knutsford & District event and this year it was fitting that a sports car driver should win the Tim Sargeant Memorial Autotest. Bob Sargeant was on hand to present The Tim Sargeant Steering Wheel to Richard Pinkney. But what about the route to the win.

Richard in the Caterham made amends for his previous day's disappointment with a penalty free run to a popular win, his first in the MSA Championship and only his second BTRDA FTD. The winning margin over Alastair Moffatt in the Mini Special was 0.1 seconds reflecting the close competition between the three leaders as first Stephen Wild in the Freestyle then Alastair led the event but both had penalties. At the lunch halt after 9 tests only 0.4 seconds covered the top three. Behind the top three Malcolm Livingston took fourth, the Lindsay Special running better but still not right. Roger Holder completed the double with class wins in the road going class in his Honda Civic. Rob Rolston and David Thompson also did the doubles in their Mini and Nova respectively. Highlight for many was seeing the Haigh Special out in competition again. This car was campaigned by David Haigh for many years and took David to several Championship wins. After a frustrating start to the season in a Mini Special, Paul Fobister has bought the historic machine and he never stopped smiling all day.

Results

1 Richard Pinkney (Caterham 7) 629.1; 2 Alastair Moffatt (Mini Special) 629.2; 3 Stephen Wild (ABS Freestyle) 637.5; 4 Malcolm Livingston (Lindsay Special) 659.8; 5 Stephen Morten (Striker) 671.4; 6 David Thompson (Nova) 675.0; 7 Chris Chapman (Striker) 680.6; 8 David Evans (Blitz) 683.6; 9 Ian Chapman (Striker) 699.1; 10 Stuart Perren (Retrotester) 699.4.

Class Winners: Rob Rolston (Mini) 743.5; Thompson; Pinkney; Moffatt; Roger Holder (Civic) 781.8.

Organisers: Knutsford & DMC; Where: Demon Tweeks, Wrexham, When: 11^th Jully 2010: Championships: MSA, BTRDA, ANCC, ANWCC, WAMC; Starters: 27.

Alastair Moffatt