Hughes soon recovers from a karting smash-up (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Hughes soon recovers from a karting smash-up

FOLLOWING his big smash the previous weekend, Castle Eaton karter Richard Hughes showed that he had made a full recovery by winning Rotax Max at Whilton Mill on Sunday.

The Hughes team had to re-build his kart and also repair extensive damage following the pile-up at Shenington.

Specialist repairs were carried out by BRT and the chassis was checked on their jig.

During Saturday's testing, the Total Butler-supported driver recorded the fastest times, and so all looked good for race day.

In the qualifying heats, Hughes scored fourth and second places in the first two, but then had a problem in the third.

He was forced to make a trip across the grass to avoid some spinning karts, this dropping him right down the order.

Nevertheless, he qualified his Arrow sixth on the grid for the big race.

After the lights turned green on the rolling start, Hughes moved straight up to fourth and the front four pulled away from the pack.

That's how it stayed for five laps, until Hughes made his move. He took third under braking for the first hairpin and then squeezed up the inside on the second one to come out in second.

He then had to catch former champion and his long-time sparring partner, Glen Denny, who held a 50-metre lead.

Lap by lap, the gap narrowed, as Hughes reeled him in. Finally, with four laps to go, they caught some back-markers and Hughes saw his chance.

He dived up the inside and then pulled away for a comfortable victory.

A punched fist as he passed the chequered flag confirmed that all the hard work had been worth it.

"I must thank my dad and Adrian Beddall of BRT for all their work on the kart," said a delighted Hughes after the race.

He concluded, "The Arrow was absolutely superb and a pleasure to drive. I think all we needed to do all weekend was adjust the tyre pressures!"

The team also enjoyed a second celebration as 13-year-old Nick Ponting, from Rodborough Common, near Stroud, won the Novice Trophy in the Mini-Max class.

Being a novice, Ponting had to start at the back for each of his heats, but he had three good drives to qualify his Arrow 16th for the final.

With a fair turn of pace, he picked off more experienced drivers to finish tenth overall - an excellent result in only his fourth race meeting.