A WARRINGTON businessman took a podium place in a gruelling Le Mans 24-hour race.
Mike Newton, chief executive officer of Daresbury based CCTV specialist AD Group, won the prestigious Woolf Barnato Trophy from the British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC), which recognises the highest-placed British and/or Commonwealth driver, in a British car in the race.
He gained the accolade alongside his former teammate Andy Wallace, during an extremely successful 2010 motorsport season.
During 2010, campaigning in the AD Group sponsored Lola HPD Coupé – Mike, with fellow Briton Andy and Brazilian Tommy Erdos, gained a credible third-place Le Mans Prototype ranking.
Mike’s passion for motorsport goes back to the late 1970’s, and he was vice president of British Motorsport Marshals Club in 2008.
As a driver he started out in Formula Ford 1600 in 1985 and his personal landmarks on the race track include: Le Mans 24 Hours class wins in 2005 and 2006, plus this year’s podium finish, and two Le Mans Series Championships (2010 and 2007).
Mike has also raced on tracks across the globe with one of the memorable highlights for him being his victory in Florida in the 2002 Daytona Grand-Am finale (GTS class).
He said: “I am delighted to have been honoured by the BRDC as the joint winner of the Woolf Barnato Trophy, our result at the Le Mans 24 Hours was a real team effort. It is certainly a privilege to follow in the footsteps of all the famous drivers who have flown the flag for Britain at the Le Mans 24 Hours race over the years.”
Pictured on the podium is AD Group’s CEO Mike Newton (far right) with his co-drivers Andy Wallace and Tommy Erdos. Photo by David Lord/Dailysportscar)
