Hughes leaves karting rivals in his wake at Whilton (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Hughes leaves karting rivals in his wake at Whilton

CASTLE Eaton's Richard Hughes pulled off a convincing win on Sunday at the Whilton Mill kart circuit, near Northampton.

After qualifying in pole position, the Total Butler driver was involved in an exciting bumper-to-bumper tussle with current championship leader Glen Denny before making the decisive move on the last but one lap.

This show-down was eagerly awaited by the crowd as the two rivals started on the front row for the big race.

They quickly pulled away from the rest of the pack in the opening stages with Hughes in the lead.

Denny used the slipstream on the straight to overtake at the hairpin on lap three and Hughes was content to sit on his tail for the next five laps, occasionally putting his nose cone up the inside to show he was still there.

Just before the last-lap board, Hughes firmly took the tighter line at the 'Boot' complex and Denny had to back off and tuck in behind.

He tried one last time at the hairpin, but Hughes had it covered and stormed round to the cheers for a fine victory.

The weather played its part earlier in the day, with sudden showers wetting the track and some quick pitwork needed to change the karts from dry to wet settings and back again.

Another huge entry of 40 drivers in the 125 Rotax Max class meant that each entrant had to compete in three out of four qualifying heats.

Richard's first two heats were both run in the wet. He won the first one and then drove through the field from the back of the grid in the second to finish second.

In the dry for heat three, he repeated the feat from 15th start position to finish second again and comfortably qualify in pole position.

Team manager Bill Hughes summed up the day by saying: "It was a great win and good news for the team. Richard has had so many second and third places recently, but it all came right on this occasion."

In preparation for next month's second round of the Max Challenge World Final qualifiers, Hughes is hopeful of testing at Shenington this week while the full team will be racing at Rissington Kart Club on June 1.

Further details can be found on the team's KDesign web site at www.bizness.co.uk/karting