JONNY MILNER’S defence of his 2009 Toyota Sprint Series title got off to the best of starts following a convincing win at Rockingham.

The East Yorkshire driver had kept the identity of his 2010 sprint car firmly under wraps and fans were not disappointed when he unveiled a stunning 700bhp Toyota Celica GT4 at the first round of the championships at Rockingham Motor Speedway track.

Huggate-based Milner won the A1 series with a best time of 79.63 seconds for the challenging 1.3-mile course and was delighted with the performance of the car.

“Not only did the car turn heads with its wide, low slung looks and extreme rearward seating position, but it had the performance to match,” said Milner. “The car was fantastic. It reached speeds of over 150mph on the straight and I was amazed with the corner speed that it could carry. “I never found the car’s limit, which is encouraging for the rest of the series. “This car has taken the Sprint Series into a new zone and I can’t wait for the next round at Barkston Heath on April 4.”

The winning car, supported by Merlin International and Anglo American Oil Company Ltd, is powered by Sunoco Race Fuels GT Plus. Milner’s success in the 2009 Sprint Series encouraged him to resume his rallying career for the first time since his back-to-back national championship wins in 2002 and 2003.

He finished sixth in the first round of the 2010 MSA National Gravel Rally Championships in Bournemouth. He is back in rallying action on April 23 in Cumbria.