2022 Autotest Championship – R5

Posted in News by May 16th, 2022
Photo: Guy Foster
Stewartsown's Steven Ferguson was back to his winning ways and had an error free day to take a convincing win.

Sunshine’s on Steven at Enniskillen Event

Report by Grace King, photos by Guy Foster.

The fourth running of the Keith Boyd Memorial Autotest was held on a dry sunny Saturday 14th May at St Angelo Airfield. Enniskillen Motor Club welcomed their sponsor the “Cleaning Doctor” for the event. Despite clashing with the North West 200 and Balmoral Show, a solid entry of 24 cars screeched and slid their way over the tarmac at the airfield. This was the fifth round of the McMillan Specialist Cars ANICC Northern Ireland Autotest Championship and Clubman/Advanced Challenge. The venue, tests and weather, played into the hands of reigning NI champion Steven Ferguson who continued his winning ways at the Enniskillen event, taking the overall win. In the Clubman category, Adam McMullan in his Toyota Starlet Special, was again the man to beat and the Advanced category win would go to veteran autotester, Norman Ferguson in his Mini Saloon. 

James Wilson picked up the class winner award and was second overall.

With Ferguson taking the overall win this would elevate James Wilson to first in Class A and second overall. Guy Foster took the runner up spot in the class with Jack Lowry claiming third place in class.  An early exit from Class A was the father and son pairing of Chris Grimes Senior and Junior, who suffered an irreparable mechanical issue on the final run of the first test forcing them to withdraw from the remainder of the event. 

Andrew Blair managed to finish ahead of his Dad in the family Westfield.

Andrew Blair would be the Class B winner in his Westfield forcing his father Paul to settle for the runner up spot. Third place in the class would go to Trevor Ferguson in his Silvia Stryker with a failed test and a number of time penalties gathered up on Test 1 costing the Coagh man dearly.

Trevor Ferguson had a torrid day with the pylons and one failed test put paid to his chances of his usual top result.

In the Small Saloon Class C, Jonni McDaid from Castlederg was the solo competitor, taking the class win and finishing the event ninth overall.

Jonni McDaid gets in the dirt in the Cleaning Doctor Mini. He was the lone entry in Class C, and managed 9th place overall.

The Large Saloon Class was again a hotly contested, with all six competitors trading times throughout the day. It would be David Thompson who would again come out on top, with Newmills’  Mark King taking the runner up spot in class. Gary Campbell would take the final podium position in the class and finish as the top Semi-Expert, after a faultless performance in his immaculately prepared Vauxhall Nova. 

Gary Campbell had one of his best performances with a third place in Class. Apart from Steven Ferguson, he was the only competitor to avoid a pylon fault all day.

In the Clubman classes, Adam McMullan in his Toyota Starlet Special would take the Class A win, as well as the overall Clubman Category win. The Clubman Class D win would go to Derek Harrison in his Mazda MX-5. 

Adam McMullan continues to impress in the unique Toyota Starlet special.

In the Advanced classes, Norman Ferguson would take the Class C win, as well as the overall Advanced category win, with Robert Robinson taking the runner up spot in both.

The irrepressible Norman Ferguson is still out competing, and took the win in the Advanced Category.

At prize-giving the Clerk of the Course, Lorraine Simpson thanked all the competitors for their entries, the marshals who turned out in great numbers and her organising team for all ensuring a slick and smooth event. She also thanked the sponsor “The Cleaning Doctor” as well as St Angelo Airfield for the use of their premises for the event. 

Now at the half-way point, with five rounds completed, championship and class points remain very tight as we head into the next event. Round six will be hosted by Coleraine and District Motor Club at the North West 200 pits on Saturday 28th May, which will see the battles continue throughout the different categories and classes.

McMillan Specialist Cars Northern Ireland Autotest Championship Round 5

Latest championship positions can be found here ==> 2022 Championship

Overall Winner – Steven Ferguson

Championship Category:

  • Class A – James Wilson
  • Class B – Andrew Blair
  • Class C – Jonni McDaid
  • Class D – David Thompson

Clubman Category:

  • Class A – Adam McMullan
  • Class B – No Competitors
  • Class C – No Competitors
  • Class D – Derek Harrison

Advanced Category:

  • Class A – No Competitors
  • Class B – No Competitors
  • Class C – Norman Ferguson
  • Class D – No Competitors

Full detailed results can be found here ==> 2022 Championship R5