Teen talent shines as NDMC Autotest season wraps up in style

The North Devon Motor Club has just completed a successful season at yet another discipline of Motorsport; that of Production Car Autotests (PCA).

The last of the eight-round series of the 2025 NDMC Autotest Championship was held recently on the open tarmac of the Chivenor Airfield, where the overall winner on the day was North Devon’s Mark Batty driving a 1400cc Ford Fiesta - second was Paul Goswell in his 2 litre Fiesta.

The junior section winner, and incredibly 4th overall, was the very talented teenager Jake Goswell of Braunton at the wheel of the family 1.8 litre Mazda MX5 with 13 year-old Kyan Neville of West Down a close second-placed junior in his 1300cc Ford Ka.

This now popular form of motor racing is on the rise with ever-increasing entry lists and interest being shown by drivers, not only from North Devon, but by competitors travelling from South Devon and West Somerset.

The aim of Autotesting is to negotiate as quickly as possible a memorised, low-speed course without hitting any markers – it is all about car control. Drivers compete on courses – usually on tarmac or grass areas, such as car parks or smooth fields – marked out by plastic pylons or cones.

They tackle a number of tests, with two attempts at each. The driver with the lowest accumulated time is the winner, although penalties are incurred for hitting cones, failing to stop on a line, or for taking the wrong route.

With the cost of living being what it is, Autotests are an affordable way to get involved in motorsport, with numerous events throughout the year. Club membership starts from £10/year and entry fees are usually £20 for an event.

You’ll need to join your local motor club and then apply for your RS Clubman Licence from MSUK – the sport’s governing body.

Because events are held on private land, youngsters can start from their early teens where they quickly learn the art of car control, safe in the knowledge that the event is run within the rules and safety regulations of UK motorsport.

The final vital ingredient, of course, is a car. Most competitors start off in their road cars; small hatchbacks have proved popular and competitive, but any car, provided it is a standard production vehicle as the name suggests, can compete in an Autotest.

These are low-speed events, special safety gear is not required, but whilst they may be low speed, they are still highly competitive and leave thousands of competitors all over the country with big wide grins after a day’s racing.

Tyre wear is likely to be experienced on an autotest (particularly a tarmac event) and therefore it is highly recommended to take a spare set of wheels and tyres to ensure the competitor can drive home legally afterwards.

For more information on Production Car Autotests and everything else that the North Devon Motor Club is involved in, go to www.ndmc.org.uk or look them up on Facebook.