Richard Pinkney from Waskerley, Co Durham dominated Hartlepool Motor Club's tones Autotest on Sunday.

Despite breaking down on one run with a fuel pump failure which cost him over 20 seconds he was fastest on 10 of the 12 runs which gave him victory and the lead in the new ANECCC regional championship, this was the first round.

Runner-up and Mini class winner Mark Thornton from Darlington also had a breakdown when an ignition coil lead came off to give him a test maximum penalty but he was fast enough to make up for it staying well ahead of third placed Phil Mayne (Mini) from Thornaby.

Rear wheel drive class winner Chris Langan from Hartlepool was another with car problems when his normally reliable Classic Art Escort broke a panhard rod bracket off the chassis allowing the axle to move about 4" from side to side! But luckily he managed to hang onto the fourth place ahead of the Mini of Tom Hall and sixth placed Paul Forster who won the front wheel drive class in his Nova.

Results: 1st R Pinkney 771-3 sec; 2nd M Thornton 792-1; 3rd P Mayne 854-7; 4th C Langan 862-2; 5th T Hall 876-4; 6th P Forster 896-3.

The next championship round will be at Streetlam near Barnard Castle on Sunday, July 6.