This weekend we look forward to and support a fantastic event for a brilliant cause. Organiser, Gordon Clendenning has helped bring together both the BTRDA and the MSA Autotest Championships for ‘Maximum Attack’ Scottish Autotest Weekend. The event, which will take place on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th of July, will be hosted by Gordon and ‘South of Scotland Car Club’ and will witness the first meeting of both championships since the late 1990’s. The “Maximum Attack” Scottish Autotest Team, have also secured a bumper entry of Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland drivers to take on the British Championship.
The competitors will fight it out over eighteen tests on Saturday before a further twelve tests on Sunday forming the “Maximum Attack” Triple Crown Team Challenge, a unique team event comprising of an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman on each team.
Event co-ordinator, Gordon Clendinning commented,
“We have put a lot of time and effort into this new venture for South of Scotland Car Club and we are overwhelmed by the support and interest in our event. The strong entry reflects the cream of the crop in autotesting, we really couldn’t have hoped for a better entry”
Internationally recognised champion, Paul Swift, renowned for precision driving, stunt driving and auto testing will be flying the flag for Mini Sport over the weekend in his Mini Special. With four wins in the BTRDA Championships and three victories in the MSA Autotest Championship, we’re certain that this weekend will offer some exhilarating action.
Paul will be competing against sixteen drivers from south of the border, including current British Championship contenders, Richard Pinkney (Caterham), Dave Evans (Blitz Special), Malcolm Livingston (Lindsay Special) and 2015 MSA Championship leader Paul Fobister (Haigh Special) whom will go head to head with the Irish autotesting elite.
Currently there is a three-way tie for the lead in the Northern Ireland Autotest championship between Paul Blair (Stryker), Robin Lyons (Mini Saloon) and Paul Mooney (Vauxhall Nova). Along with double British champion, Stephen Ferguson (Mini Special), they lead a fifteen strong contingent from across the Irish Sea.
Standing tall and proud in the middle will be Willie Keaning (Vauxhall Nova) and Warren Gillespie (Vauxhall Nova) representing Scotland. The Dumfries duo, who are competing in the BTRDA and MSA championships for their second season, will have home advantage for this clash of the titans.
Gordon Clendennings has done a superb job of organising an event, which has excited auto enthusiasts across the country, compiling some of the most accomplished drivers for a spectacular weekend of competitive autotesting. However, this event has been organised in hopes to raise awareness and funds for a fantastic and generous cause.
The Maximum Attack Appeal
The “Maximum Attack” Appeal was launched in 2005 to raise funds for the Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre at Gartnavel in Glasgow and is endorsed by Irish rally legend Paddy Hopkirk and WRC Citroen star Kris Meeke.
Following a routine health check in December 2004, former Scottish Autotest Champion, Gordon Clendinning from New Galloway, was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (Cancer of the blood and bone marrow). Thanks to advances in medicine and the development of new “wonder drugs” the team from the MacMillan Centre at Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary were able to stabilise and control Gordon’s leukaemia and allow him to regain control of his life and return to work.
The Clendinning family, in conjunction with The University of Glasgow Trust have raised just over £23,000 in ten years and continue to support the ground breaking research at the Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre. The centre is under the directorship of Professor Tessa Holyoake and her team of leukaemia specialists from around the world.
In the press release for this event Gordon and other fundraisers said they ‘Would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has already given our appeal, their time, support and sponsorship. Every penny that we raise goes directly to purchase new equipment for the centre and towards research to find a cure for leukaemia in both children and adults.
You can find more information on this fantastic cause and the ways in which they help raise fundamental funds for research and resources at the Maximum Attack Appeal Facebook event page here.
The ‘Maximum Attack’ Scottish Autotest Weekend will take place at NWF Agriculture, Hangar 8, Heathhall Industrial Estate on the outskirts of Dumfries. Action starts at 11am on both Saturday and Sunday. Get yourself there and enjoy some old school Autotesting from the champions and support a brilliant cause.
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