LYNCH CROWNED BRITISH CHAMPION AT CROFT

Wigan racer Tony Lynch has been crowned champion after wrapping up the BMW Mini class title during the final round of the Monster Energy MSA British Rallycross Championship at Croft.

Westhoughton-based Tony made the trip to the North East sitting on top of the class standings following two successive victories at Lydden Hill and Pembrey.

With dropped scores taken into account, the Lucas Oil Team Geriatric driver held a slender advantage over closest rival David Bell, with Tony aware that anything other than victory would give Bell the chance to beat him to the crown.

The opening heat of the weekend saw Tony finish in second place despite his steering rack being damaged in contact at turn one, with the team working to replace the part ahead of heat two.

Further contact at the opening complex then led to damage to the power steering pump, but Tony was able to battle to the finish and again took second place. Repeating the result in heat three, Tony secured his place on the front row of the grid for the all important championship finale.

A three-way fight into turn one ended with Tony coming out second behind main rival Bell, a position he held through to the third lap when Bell ran slightly wide at the hairpin.

Seeing his chance to pounce, Tony slotted his car up the inside to take a lead he would maintain through to the finish to secure maximum points; giving him the title by six points.

"I'm absolutely made up to be crowned champion," Tony said. "Even though I led the standings coming into the weekend, we knew it would be a challenge to wrap up the title and that was exactly how things panned out.

"The three heats proved to be a challenge, and the boys did a great job to replace the steering rack after the contact in heat one. We had to continue with the broken power steering pump after heat two because we didn't have time to change it, but I still secured a place on the front row for the final.

"The heats had shown that three-into-one wouldn't work at turn one but we managed to come through it in second behind David. I kept pace with him and when he understeered at the hairpin, I yanked the handbrake and got up the inside to take the lead. When I crossed the line to win, it was a fantastic feeling to know that all the hard work this year had paid off.

"I'm the person behind the wheel and the person who has his name next to the title, but we've won the crown as a team, and the boys who work on the car have done a great job this season. We've been learning about the Mini as we've been racing throughout the year, and the fact we have wrapped up the title shows how well we've performed.

"It's great way to end the year and the ideal way to repay the sponsors who have supported us this season. We couldn't have won the title without them."