Young driver Baker motors to top three finish

SAWTRY’S Tom Baker is celebrating after finishing his first auto grass racing Eastern Open Championship season in overall third place.

The 14 year old has been competing in the junior class of the competition against 12-14 year olds using a standard production 1000cc car - a vintage Mini to you and I! - which is raced around an oval quarter-of-a-mile track.

The races take place on four different circuits with the drivers - 27 in all - winning points for their finishing positions throughout the season.

“I found it a little bit scary at first but with the support of my family and friends and some good coaching from my dad I soon got into my stride,” said Baker. “It’s been a great season and I am looking forward to 2012.”

JONATHAN Railton, the 20-year-old motorcycle racer from Grafham, scored his first ever international championship point by finishing 15th at the sixth round of the CEV Buckler Spanish Formula Extreme Championship in Valencia, Spain.

The Valencia circuit is one of the leading Moto GP circuits in the world and is regarded as extremely technical with only a few straights. It also has a long start-finish straight where motorcycles reach in excess of 180mph.

After a troubled practice - when his Kawasaki ZX10r had a constant misfire and burnt out regulator - Railton managed to qualify in 19th place. However, the problem was traced to a faulty quickshifter for the Sunday morning warm up and he made a good start in the race gaining a couple of places in the first lap.

Railton battled with three other riders to finish the race in 15th place while the winner was Ivan Silva from Spain.

Railton’s final race of the Championship will be at Jerez in southern Spain.