KIDDERMINSTER'S newly crowned Kart Driver of the Year Nathan Freke returned to winning ways at Castle Combe on Bank Holiday Monday. Despite testing problems with the new Century Motorsport Jamun T25 Formula Ford, sponsored by Newnet ISP, Freke pulled it all together on race day.

Testing for the meeting took place on Thursday forcing Freke to familiarise himself with the car for the first time in damp conditions.

Unfortunately when the track dried up, the engine was put under high speed stress and started to pump oil out, limiting testing to just 15 laps.

Freke's practice engine from the older M89 Jamun was brought from Kidderminster and his team of Century mechanics worked all day Saturday to transplant it into the newer car ready for race day on Monday.

Despite an oil spill by another car disrupting timed qualifying as Freke got to grips with the different engine, he still made it into 10th on the grid.

Despite slipping down to 14th following a slow start, Freke gradually got to grips with the car as he approached the notorious Quarry corner.

He confidently regained ground on his rivals with some excellent overtaking manoeuvres, working his way up to sixth, then fifth thanks to a mistake by a car in front of him.

This gave him fifth on track and first in class A, his first win at Castle Combe on their 250th running of the FF1600 race series.

"The car is very different to drive to the M89, and once we have the race engine in place and we have more set-up time with the car I am confident that we will be running right at the very front," said Freke.

"This has been a good result for my sponsors and we will a new additional sponsor on board for the next meeting, which will be announced soon."

l Kiddermnister'S Daniel Rowbottom has fallen further adrift of leader Matthew Bell in the Formula ICA standings.

Rowbottom now trails his Northumberland rival by 34 points after the latest event at Clay Pigeon Raceway on Sunday.

Although Bell's 100 per cent record tumbled at the weekend, Rowbottom could only manage fixth and sixth place finishes in the two finals.