REDDITCH racer Mike Luck ended his rookie season in Days of Thunder with a tenth place finish in the final round at Rockingham.

Qualifying on the sixth row of the grid and as top rookie gave the Winyates Green driver a new-found optimism for the final two races.

"Much better, we are where we should have been all the time," said Luck.

"The car felt great and there was possibly a better time to come.

"We got out late though and I only did two flyers before it rained," he added.

After losing out to his closest rivals at the start of race one, Luck started to make up ground and began to close in on outgoing champion Ben Collins.

Continuing to run in 14th place to the pitstops, it all started to go wrong for the Leisureworks backed team.

Luck added: "I messed up the pitstop by coming in too quick.

"I had too much lock on the front wheels and it made a wheel stick during the change. "Then I got a drive-through penalty and just got on the best I could for the rest of the race," he said.

The result was a disappointing 15th place.

Race two started much more positively for Luck.

He said: "I planted it at the start and flew past Malcolm Clein and Ben Collins."

By lap six he was in the top ten and chasing down John Steward for ninth.

He held his place during the pitstops and was heading for ninth until World Legends Champion John Higgins pipped him overall and in the Rookie class with a lap to go.

"The car was fine and my stop was just wonderful this time," he said.

Luck will be getting all nostalgic as he prepares for the final race of the MGX Clubman Championship at Thruxton on Sunday.