Double duty for Tony Lynch with expanded rallycross programme

Wigan racer Tony Lynch can today confirm plans to run an expanded programme for the 2020 season, with entries into both the Retro Rallycross Championship and the BTRDA Clubmans Rallycross Championship presented by Cooper Tires.

Having competed in Retro Rallycross last season with a Toyota MR2, Westhoughton-based Tony had originally planned to switch back to the BTRDA series this season with the same Supermodified Ford KA that he used to secure the class title in 2018.

That plan was as a result of the Retro Rallycross schedule featuring a number of unavoidable clashes with family commitments; rendering a return to the series for a second successive campaign impossible.

However, the delays to the 2020 season caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have now opened the door for Tony to continue with the development programme on the Toyota and return to the Retro Rallycross scene for a second season.

Tony’s own Team Geriatric outfit will continue to prepare and run the car across the shortened five round campaign, which gets underway at Lydden Hill in late August before two rounds at Knockhill and two at Pembrey alongside the Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy Presented by Cooper Tires.

As well the Retro Rallycross programme, Tony will still go ahead with the planned entry into the BTRDA series, with the ultimate goal of trying to secure the overall championship title; something he came agonisingly close to achieving back in 2018.

The BTRDA campaign will however see Tony’s KA being run by Paul Waldron Motorsport; the same outfit that originally built the car before it was bought by Tony ahead of the 2016 season. The deal to run with Paul was agreed when the coronavirus pandemic made it appear unlikely that Team Geriatric would be able to compete together in its usual form this season.

The five round BTRDA campaign will start at Pembrey in early August with a double-header event before further meetings at Lydden Hill, Blyton and Knockhill.

“We were all set to confirm our plans for 2020 when the Prime Minister announced the lockdown measures back in March and since then, it’s been a case of waiting to see how the situation developed and what would be possible in terms of competition this year,” Tony said.

“Racing has quite rightly taken a back seat in recent months as we have all come to terms with the situation we have found ourselves in, and like many others, we as a family have had to deal with the devastating impact that coronavirus has had.

“Deciding whether to race or not this season has been a tough decision to make and it originally looked like we wouldn’t be able to compete as a team because of the fact that Team Geriatric by its very nature has many older members.

“With that in mind, I managed to agree a deal with Paul to run the KA on my behalf when we didn’t think us racing as a team would be possible. Paul is someone who I know will do a great job running the car as he has helped us out in the past, and he is one of the few people who I know my chief engineer Tony will trust to run it on my behalf.

“Whilst Paul will still help running the KA for me, it’s great that we are now in a position where Team Geriatric is able compete with the Toyota. Things are going to be a bit different in terms of how things are run because of coronavirus but, one thing that won’t change is our desire to fight as hard as possible for results on track.

“I have to say thank you to those sponsors who have stood by us in these difficult times and also to the family and friends who continue to support us, and I’ll be looking to repay that support in the months ahead.”