STUART Coombs from Codford maintained his lead in the Mighty Mini Championship in his Salisbury-based Maniflow Mini.

The championship is based on the classic 1.3 Mini Cooper with all cars being equal to provide a level playing field.

His latest meeting was at the local circuit of Thruxton in Hampshire.

Taking a seven point championship lead into the weekend, he was hopeful of some good results.

Qualifying on Saturday, Coombs secured third spot on the grid just behind championship rival Lee Poolman.

Race one was all action from start to finish with four cars making a break at the front, positions were changing corner by corner with a different leader over the line almost every lap.

The last lap being lead by Coombs but some late braking by Poolman into the chicane gave him the lead out of the final corner and the race win. The Codford driver crossed the line just two tenths of a second behind.

Race two on Sunday was another close event.

The reverse grid system meaning the top cars from race one start further down the grid.

The same four cars soon fought to the front with Coombs and Poolman battling it out again for the lead.

This time however Coombs learnt from race one was careful to defend into the final corners meaning despite huge pressure from behind he held the lead to take the flag and the race win and fastest lap to grab an extra two points and maintain the points lead at the top of the drivers' championship.

With three rounds remaining the championship heads off to the famous Brands Hatch circuit in Kent on the weekend of August 25-27.