Karting Hughes is suddenly finding a rich vein of form (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Karting Hughes is suddenly finding a rich vein of form

RICHARD Hughes repeated his Whilton Mill success by winning the Rotax Max class at Little Rissington, Stow-on-the-Wold, on Sunday to comfortably lead the championship in his Arrow.

The popular 125cc class attracted over 30 entrants and meant running four qualifying heats with each driver taking part in three. Hughes, from Castle Eaton, put down his marker by winning the first one and also setting the fastest lap.

The Total Butler driver came second in the next and then gave a demonstration of overtaking by finishing third after starting 22nd on the grid to easily qualify on pole for the final.

At the start of the big race, Hughes held the lead, closely followed by Welshmen Shaun Fulford and Matt Smith, and the trio broke away from the pack.

With Hughes pacing himself, he allowed his two rivals to pass but kept in touch before re-passing both of them on lap four.

From then on, it was Hughes all the way with Smith hanging on and Fulford eventually fading to fourth. Hughes set the fastest time of the weekend, at 42.23 seconds on lap 11, before taking the chequered flag.

With the team's junior members otherwise occupied with GCSEs, the Richard Hughes Racing team were looking after four Arrow karts in senior Rotax and team manager Bill Hughes was kept busy repairing damage.

A high-speed accident in the first heat ripped off the front of David Tansley's kart and also bent the axle. But Tansley, from Malmesbury, recovered to win the B final and set the fastest lap.

Further details on the web site at www.bizness.co.uk/karting