THE Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship drivers may have taken centre stage last weekend at Croft, but it was local hero Max Coates who stole the show with a superb victory in the Renault UK Clio Cup.

The 22-year-old from Scorton was in fine form at the North Yorkshire track, just five miles from his home, after qualifying his Primex Plastics and PLASgran Recycling-sponsored car in seventh position for race one on Saturday. In front of a good crowd enjoying the sunshine, with the track looking resplendent, Coates made a good start to run third early on.

He then set about catching the two drivers in front, who had gained a sizeable advantage. Two moves at the hairpin didn’t give the Ciceley Motorsport driver the result he had hoped for, so he opted for a high-speed overtake at the back of the circuit to grab second, taking another Graduate Cup victory in the process.

If race one was good, race two was even better as spots of rain began to fall. Coates started from fifth on the grid, but was soon up to fourth before claiming third place and challenging the leaders. Race leader Paul Rivett suffered a technical problem while dicing with Coates, who hit the front halfway through the race.

Cheered on by the partisan local fans, Coates fought off the very close attentions of former Renault Clio champion Mike Bushell to take a popular and emotional outright victory at his home race.

The double podium and maiden outright win moved Coates to fourth in the championship and just one point away from third place, as well as leading the Graduate Cup going into the next round at Snetterton next month.

Stokesley’s John McCullagh took his Redline Racing Porsche to 12th on Sunday after finishing 17th in Saturday’s Porsche Carrera Cup GB race, claiming fourth and third place respectively in the amateur class.

Durham teenager Charlie Fagg had a weekend of mixed fortunes, taking a superb fourth place in the opening Simpson Race Products Ginetta Junior Championship race. The HHC Motorsport driver claimed 10th in the second outing before a turn one fracas left him stranded in the Clervaux gravel in race three.

Fagg extracted himself, but the car then shed its bonnet, leaving him to fight back from almost a lap down to claim 14th at the flag.

SIXTEEN years after his last race there, Northallerton plumber Phil Stead made a dream return to Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough, taking a double victory at the Yorkshire parkland track.

Riding the PSP-backed Yamaha TZ250, Stead finished second in Saturday’s F2 race before a technical problem ruled him out of the lightweight race later in the day. But Sunday proved to be a memorable day as he turned the clock back in style to land a double victory in both the F2 and lightweight classes.

Also on form was Stockton rider Daley Mathison, who was in action on both his 600cc and 1000cc Suzukis. Starting from pole position no less than seven times, Mathison, who recently scored a TT podium, claimed a total of seven podiums over the course of the weekend, including third in the prestigious Cock o’ the North feature race, but couldn’t quite grab a victory.

Rainton sidecar driver Tony Thirkell and passenger Jamie Moralee were in action on their 600cc MRE outfit, with a best result of fifth in the F2 sidecar races, while Darlington’s Stephen Degnan claimed 12th on his 1000cc Kawasaki in the Cock o’ the North race, following it up with a best result of ninth in both senior races.

Chester le Street rider David Bell finished second in Saturday’s Superbike F1 race on his 750cc Yamaha, but retired in Sunday’s race.

EXELBY kart racer Megan Stephenson had a great weekend at Larkhall, in Scotland, in the fourth round of the NKF Championship.

Putting her recent experience of racing against better drivers to good use, and following a positive two-day test at the track near Glasgow, the Taste of India, Bedale-sponsored 12-year-old was in fine form despite the changeable conditions. Sunday’s opening race was in the dry and Megan started from pole position. Despite a packed grid, she came home in a creditable seventh place. Another great drive in race two, which was also dry, saw her move up from 11th on the grid to finish inside the top 10 again.

The weather turned wet for the third race and, starting from 17th on the grid, it was going to be a major challenge for the youngster, but she got a great start and was up to 10th place very quickly. The wet conditions then saw her aquaplane off the track into the tyre barrier and rejoin in last place, but a determined drive back through the pack saw her claim a fantastic eighth place at the chequered flag.

The results saw her placed seventh on the grid for the final, but track conditions were difficult and Megan drove a calculated and mature race to end up in eighth place, just missing out on the trophies. She hopes to continue the momentum in Wales in her next outing next weekend.

TWO local crews made the trip to the Crail Summer Stages Rally, in Fife, where the Mickleton pairing of Alistair and Andrew Hutchinson brought their LPG-powered Renault Clio home in a fine sixth place overall, taking the two-litre class win in the process.

It wasn’t such a good day for Consett’s Barry Renwick and Whickham co-driver Paul Hughes, who retired their Proton Millington Satria Neo after the second stage.