Lynch bounces back to form with fine Mondello Park weekend

Wigan racer Tony Lynch returned to form in fine style with a race winning performance in the latest rounds of the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship at Mondello Park.

Tony and his Lucas Oil Team Geriatric squad made the trip to Ireland for the fourth and fifth rounds of the campaign seeking to bounce back from a challenging start to the season after a myriad of technical issues hit his Supernational class title.

Armed with a new engine onboard his Ford KA, Tony was on the pace throughout the heats for round four, securing second place on the grid for his semi-final and then successfully making it through to the all-important points scoring final.

The decision to water the circuit just before the final would hand Tony the upper hand against his rivals in more powerful cars, and he made the most of the superior handling of the KA to storm to his first victory of the campaign.

Sunday’s fifth round of the year would follow a similar pattern, with Tony running strongly towards the front through the three qualifying heats and then finishing second in his semi-final to earn a front row slot for the final.

Continuing to show strong pace, Tony took the chequered flag in second place to cap a fine weekend on track – with the results bringing him right back into contention for the title once dropped scores are taken into account.

“It’s been a difficult season so far, so to come away from Mondello with two strong results is fantastic,” he said. “We had a new engine for the weekend that allowed us to challenge for the first time this season and we made the most of the opportunities that came our way.

“We know we don’t have the power of some of the other cars, so when the track was watered in round four we knew we stood a great chance; certainly more than in the dry during Sunday’s race where we still picked up a podium.

“To have picked up our first win of the year is great, and the win is for the sponsors who have stood by us during our difficulties so far this season. It’s also a reward for the team, who have worked long hours in the garage this year and have never let their heads drop even when things haven’t gone their way; I wouldn’t be able to do it without them.

“We’re still the outsiders for the title but we have nothing to lose and will look to push for more wins as the season goes on. We have to maximise any opportunities that come our way and see where we end up.”