A WEAVERHAM racing driver is hoping to impress the crowds on his debut outing at home track Oulton Park this weekend.

Mark Wakefield will contest the three MINI Challenge UK races in the series’ Cooper class having already impressed with a fifth place at Brands Hatch.

It is the 16-year-old’s first season since taking the step up from karting.

“I’m looking forward to it and feeling confident,” said Wakefield. “It’s my first race around there so I’m just hoping I can impress the crowd.

“I’ve done a couple of track days at pre-testing and did very well considering the car wasn’t up to scratch due to having the wrong wheels and wrong suspension.

“I’m hoping for a top three finish on the home track. The car’s back and all ready to go. I’ve got a top mechanic in Paul Dobson who is brilliant.

“It’s gone better than I expected. The first race was Donington and I loved the track, then Brands Hatch that I’d never seen before and finished fifth.”

Wakefield is using his debut season as a chance to get used to the car, but is already targeting an improved finish next year.

And as the youngest driver in the series, yet to drive on the road, he has turned a few heads.

“We’re looking for a top three finish next year. We’re taking this year as a test season to get everything set up,” he added.

“With not driving a car before it is a completely different experience. I went to Donington having not driven a car before, so the others were quite surprised but so was I.”