Wigan racer Tony Lynch just misses out on Retro Rallycross Championship

Tony and his Landsail Team Geriatric outfit headed for the ‘Home of Rallycross’ looking to try to overturn an 11-point deficit to the rival Simon Hart in the standings, with Tony’s title challenge having taken a hit after a fire in the previous event at Knockhill.

With Tony having also rolled the car during the Scottish meeting, the team was forced to work hard to ensure he was able to compete in the season finale.

And the Toyota MR2 was looking almost good as new by the time it was loaded onto the trailer for the long trip down to Kent.

Any concerns there may have been about the car were put to one side after the opening heat as Tony secured second spot.

And he then went one better in heat two by beating the rapid Mini of Terry Moore and the Citroen AX of Steve Cozens to victory.

A third-placed finish behind the pair in heat three meant Tony would qualify in second place for the finale, with title rival Hart starting from fourth at the wheel of his Escort.

Having taken points out of Hart through the heats, Lynch headed into the final race knowing the title was on the line, but would lose out to Moore and Cozens on the run down to turn

one.

From that point on, he had to settle into third spot and, despite ending the year with another podium finish, fifth for Hart meant he edged Lynch for top spot in the standings.

“We knew we had a chance of the title but the loss of two cars from the entry before the weekend made things more difficult when it came to taking points off Simon,” Lynch acknowledged. “We just focused on the job at hand and the car went well in the heats to qualify second, which is probably more than I was expecting against Terry and Steve as their cars are better suited to Lydden Hill than the Toyota.

“The start was key in the final and I really needed to try and get ahead so I could then work to keep them behind.

“But they got the jump at turn one and I knew I wouldn’t be able to get back ahead.

“I had to settle for third, and unfortunately that wasn’t quite enough to overhaul Simon and take the title.”