I was very pleased how the Autotest / Autosolo went at Chelmer Valley Park & Ride yesterday.

There were a few challenges, with no set up available until 2.5 hours before we started, and an ambitious test layout/programme , from a two club team working together for the first time but with a few   "on the hoof" changes , and great patience from a very friendly bunch of competitors we all had a great day.

With a complete mixture of driver experience, 10 first timers ( mostly joining CMC for the first time) and a substantial entry of 55 starters - who all finished, it was simply great to see the close level of competition.

The stand out performances for me were :-

Scott Pezzotta - Clio 172,  SCCON winning the 15 strong PCA Class on 415.9 good enough for 6th o/a if all the classes were put together.  Will Penfold in the tyre smoking BMW  2nd PCA some way ahead of 3rd Dave Saint - marshal turned pothunter!

William Hockley aged 18 a first timer in a Howard Joynt Micra ( many thanks for bringing 2 down from Snetterton Howard ) 8th PCA and Jay Sayer another first timer in the vast Mercedes Estate 9th PCA. Jamie Rutter aged 14 finishing all the tests in a Micra with a vicious clutch & beaming by the end of the day. 

Lewis Wake another first timer,  winning the 9 strong Triumph Class in Uncle Colins Spitfire

 Vini Cruz MR2 winning the Autotest from a close battle with the smoking Mini of John Peterson & tyre smoking Chevette of Mark Wade

The Overall winner FTD Sam Carter in his Saxo holding off Ben Greenfield in his 106

My thanks go to Michael Helm C of C handling the cones, Mike Bishop the contract work with Essex Highways, Tony Michael Diagram Production, Dave Thompson Secretary & Nigel Abdullah test planning.

Special thanks to Simon Tonks editing the Sapphire Timing corrections and of course the marshals who hardly had a break getting a total of 880 test runs processed.

Jim Bowie  Chief Marshal