Mixed fortunes for Mid-Wales race driver Power

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Mid Wales racing driver Ben Power enjoyed mixed fortunes in the latest round of the UK Legends Car championship at Oulton Park in Cheshire.

Power, aged 21, from Guilsfield, near Welshpool, finished fifth in the opening heat, after a race-long battle which saw the top five finish within 0.5 seconds.

In race 2, he fought through from the back of the grid to finish eighth, and was running well in the final until he was tagged by another driver and spun off.

He recovered and was fighting back through the field when the throttle cable snapped.

”It wasn’t a textbook day, that’s for sure,” the 21-year-old observed after the meeting.” It’s especially disappointing after our recent successes, but it could have been worse.”

The day was indeed worse for team-mate Mark Higgins, the rally champion making a rare appearance in the series. He suffered engine failure in practice, and after the team worked flat-out to change the engine, there was a problem with the replacement unit after the first race.

Legends racing originated on the US oval tracks, and the cars have an American look, being 5/8-scale replicas of classic US models. Guttercrest Racing runs a Ford Coupe 1937 replica, with a 1250cc Yamaha motorcycle engine.

With identical cars and the fastest drivers having to start at the back of the grid, there is said to be more overtaking in a single Legends race than in a whole season of Formula 1. Motors TV broadcasts each round of the series.

Guttercrest Racing is backed by the family-owned aluminium guttering company Guttercrest, based in Oswestry. The team has further Welsh support from Cardiff-based PR consultancy Weltch Media, as well as Ripla Designs.

The series continues at Mallory Park in Leicestershire on September 11.