[T]he every dynamic Wigton Motor Club brought a new form of motorsport of north and west Cumbria last Sunday with the Spring Autosolo at Maryport Business Park.
The relatively new variation of autotesting is designed to attract newcomers and those with current types of cars. They are a cross between a sprint and an all forwards autotest but only one to two tests areas used during the day so learning lots of tests is not a problem. The layouts use pairs of cones with markers to designate the route which has to be within a 200-metre square area.
The usual very slick organisation and results saw twelve tests being completed by 2.30 with six tests in the morning and four reversed versions after lunch and then two runs at a two-lap format. This gave the winning car a time of over fifteen minute which was superb value for a £10 entry fee.
Peter Wight ran out the winner in his Mini Cooper S from the ever-exuberant Chris Hunter in his Mazda MX5 with the similar car of Phil Hodgson third. Martin Breen had been in contention in the morning is his MG B V8, but a rare wrong test pushed him down to fourth place.
The first front wheel drive was Liam Charlton in his Ford Puma and second was Dave Garner in his Renault Clio. Chris Hunter and Phil Hodgson were first and second rear wheel drive cars.
The club intend to hold more auto solos during the summer in addition to the monthly grass autotests.
The event was round three of the HPE Construction Autotest Championship.