Tony Lynch wraps up title with two rounds to spare at Pembrey

Wigan racer Tony Lynch ensured a successful conclusion to his 2023 Retro Rallycross Championship season despite having two rounds left to run after provisionally securing the championship title during the latest meeting of the season at Pembrey.

Tony headed into the weekend having established a handy lead in the standings at the wheel of his Landsail Tyres Team Geriatric-run Toyota MR2, and aware that if results were to go his way, he could secure an unassailable lead in the championship race.

Saturday’s fifth round started in positive fashion as Tony secured a comfortable victory in the opening heat and he backed it up by once again leading the field home in heat two.

A third straight win in the third heat ensured Tony would start the final from pole and – in a race combined with the Super Retro field – he secured a comfortable class win and took third overall, ahead of one of the cars from the quicker class.

Sunday’s event would see the field tackle the Pembrey circuit in the opposite direction and Tony was once again the driver to beat from the outset.

Winning all three heats by an ever-increasing margin, Tony looked well set to add another victory to his tally only to hit trouble when the all-important final came around.

Unfortunately for Tony, an issue with the battery outside the control of the team would affect the ECU on the Toyota and left him down on power, resulting in him taking the flag back in third spot as Pip Davey secured a popular maiden win for a female racer in the series.

Showing his consistency this season, that third-place finish marked his lowest finish of the campaign but the points scored across the weekend were still enough to give Tony an unassailable advantage in the standings regardless of the results across the final two events at the Valkenswaard circuit in the Netherlands next month and then at Lydden Hill in November.

“To wrap up the title with two rounds to go is fantastic, and removes a lot of pressure ahead of the remaining events,” he said. “Heading to Wales, we knew that there was a chance we could take an unassailable lead in the standings if results went our way, but I tried to just focus on doing the best job possible and not think about it too much.

“Saturday was pretty much the perfect day as we were able to control all three heats and then scored maximum points in the final to strengthen our advantage, and it looked like being a similar story on Sunday before a battery issue hampered our chances.

“However, third place was still good enough to put us out of reach in the points and to win the Retro class for the second year in a row is reward for the hard work that the team has put in with the Toyota since we decided to buy the cars and join the series.

“It wouldn’t have been possible without the backing of our fantastic sponsors and we cannot thank them enough for their support, and look forward to sharing our success with them.”