NORTHWICH team Speedworks Motorsport savoured its best weekend to date in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at home circuit Oulton Park.

Driver Tony Hughes piloted his Toyota Avensis to a hat-trick of finishes, including a season-best 14th position in race two, to double the outfit’s points tally in the Independents Team Trophy.

“We have to be happy,” said team boss Christian Dick.

“It’s the first time the car has finished all three races and Tony’s lap times came down from the first session of the weekend through to the end of the meeting.

“In many ways we achieved what we had wanted to.”

Hughes matched his previous best result in race one on Sunday, crossing the line in 16th position after starting on the grid’s back row.

He raced the car in wet conditions for the first time, surviving a shunt early on with rival Chris James (Team ES Racing) before nursing the machine to the finish on a drying track.

Speedworks opted for a similar wet set-up in the day’s second race as Hughes’ fast start catapulted him into the top 15 by the end of lap three.

He fell back briefly before making the most of mistakes by rivals ahead to pinch 14th place at the chequered flag.

The 53-year-old debutant, who has never raced a front wheel drive car before this season, made the most of a drier surface in race three to set his best lap time – 1:31.391 – on his way to 17th position.

Speedworks’ points haul in the Independents Team Trophy rises to seven as a result.

At the front of the field Gordon Shedden (Honda Racing Team), reigning champion Jason Plato (Silverline Chevrolet) and Mat Jackson (Airwaves Racing) each recorded a win apiece.

It leaves Honda’s Matt Neal, whose best result was a fourth place in race three, with a slender two-points lead over his teammate in the drivers’ standings ahead of the next round at Croft.