Date: 2026-03-14

Cross Clinches Victory in Season-Opening Production Car Autotest

Simon Cross emerged victorious at the “Kickin’ Off the Year” Production Car Autotest, claiming overall honours with a commanding performance in his Mazda MX5. Cross completed the four-test challenge in a total time of 477.1 seconds, narrowly defeating Tom Johnson’s MX5 by just 7.3 seconds.

Despite Johnson setting the fastest time in the opening test with 118.7 seconds, Cross demonstrated remarkable consistency throughout the day to gradually build his advantage. The battle between the two MX5 drivers remained tight across all four tests, with Johnson maintaining pressure on Cross until the final run.

Barry Bridgewater rounded out the overall podium in his Renault Twingo, finishing 28.8 seconds behind Cross but comfortably securing the Class B victory. Bridgewater established his class dominance early, opening up a substantial 60-second advantage over the Ford Escort MK1 shared by Adam and John Stallard after the first test.

In Class D, Cross led a strong MX5 contingent, with Dave Cross finishing second in class and fifth overall. Josh Mounce’s Toyota MR2 and Andy Bridgewater’s MX5 engaged in a close battle for third in class, with Mounce ultimately prevailing by just 0.3 seconds after the final test.

Class F provided some of the day’s most competitive action, with Johnson’s winning performance complemented by strong drives from Mathew Pearce in a Peugeot 106 XSI and Daniel Box in another MX5. Pearce maintained second in class throughout the event, while Box secured third place with consistent performances across all tests.

The father-son pairing of Mathew and Joseph Pearce in their shared Peugeot 106 XSI showed the value of experience, with Mathew outpacing his son by over two minutes in the final standings. Similarly, the Stallard duo in their classic Ford Escort MK1 demonstrated the enduring appeal of historic machinery in modern competition, though they couldn’t match the pace of Bridgewater’s more nimble Twingo in Class B.

Overall Results

Overall Position	Competitor Name	Car	Time
1	Simon Cross	Mazda MX5	477.1
2	Tom Johnson	Mazda MX5	469.8
3	Barry Bridgewater	Renault Twingo	505.9
4	Mathew Pearce	Peugeot 106 XSI	489.4
5	Dave Cross	Mazda MX5	522.7
6	Daniel Box	Mazda MX5	495.6
7	Josh Mounce	Toyota MR2	529.1
8	Tony Woodcock	Mazda MX5 MK1	521.4
9	Andy Bridgewater	Mazda MX5	529.4
10	Joseph Pearce	Peugeot 106 XSI	632.8
11	Adam Stallard	Ford Escort MK1	745.9
12	John Stallard	Ford Escort MK1	745.9

Class B Results

Class Position	Competitor Name	Car	Time
1	Barry Bridgewater	Renault Twingo	505.9
2	Adam Stallard	Ford Escort MK1	745.9
3	John Stallard	Ford Escort MK1	745.9

Class D Results

Class Position	Competitor Name	Car	Time
1	Simon Cross	Mazda MX5	477.1
2	Dave Cross	Mazda MX5	522.7
3	Josh Mounce	Toyota MR2	529.1
4	Andy Bridgewater	Mazda MX5	529.4

Class F Results

Class Position	Competitor Name	Car	Time
1	Tom Johnson	Mazda MX5	469.8
2	Mathew Pearce	Peugeot 106 XSI	489.4
3	Daniel Box	Mazda MX5	495.6
4	Tony Woodcock	Mazda MX5 MK1	521.4
5	Joseph Pearce	Peugeot 106 XSI	632.8