Maximum score for Tony Lynch at Blyton

Wigan racer Tony Lynch was able to enjoy a fine weekend on track as the Autosport International BTRDA Rallycross Championship presented by Cooper Tires headed for Blyton for the second round of the year.

Tony headed for the Lincolnshire circuit looking to add to the podium finish he secured in the season opener at Lydden Hill after the Paul Waldron Motorsport team – running the car alongside members of Tony’s own Team Geriatric outfit – worked hard to resolve a misfire on his Ford KA.

With further work having gone into the KA in the weeks following the season opener, Tony went into the Blyton weekend hoping to challenge for more silverware in the highly competitive Supermodified class and showed his pace from the outset in the opening heat.

There, he posted the fastest time to win his heat by more than seven seconds and then dominated his second heat – winning by more than eight seconds and once again posting the fastest time.

The double victory meant that Tony was able to sit out the final heat safe in the knowledge that his place in the points scoring final was already secure.

When the lights went out for the final, Tony was beaten off the line by the fast-starting Vauxhall VX220 of Jason Bleasdale and then set about trying to find a way back ahead of rival.

Although Tony managed got alongside more than once, Bleasdale was able to hold on after a race long battle that would prove to be one of the highlights of the day to secure the win by just three tenths of a second, despite Tony posted the fastest lap.

However, with Beasdale not registered to score points, Tony secured a maximum score in the Supermodified class to come away from the weekend leading the championship standings ahead of the season finale at Knockhill later this month.

Tony also retains a chance to securing the overall championship battle, with no fewer than half a dozen drivers firmly in the mix ahead of the Scottish race meeting.

“We were on the back foot all weekend at Lydden Hill and managed to pick up a trophy, so we were confident that we would be in the mix at Blyton with our issues all resolved,” he said. “From the moment we headed out on track, the car never missed a beat and, that is thanks to the team for the hard work that they put in.

“The first two heats went exactly to plan and it meant that we didn’t need to do heat three because our place on the front row for the final was already secure. I knew Jason would get away well off the line in the final with his car being mid-engined and rear-wheel drive, but I was confident that we’d be able to find a way back ahead to get the win.

“He didn’t make any mistakes despite the pressure I was able to put him under and it was a great battle that ended with us split by under half a second at the end. I was also conscious of the fact that he wasn’t going to be scoring any points and I didn’t want to do anything stupid with the championship to consider.

“It’s probably the most satisfying second place I’ve had in my career and to take a maximum score away from the weekend is fantastic. It puts us in a great place for the final round at Knockhill and we’ll go there looking to defend our lead.”