Allen takes pride in hand-made car

When former Methwold High School pupil Luke Allen gets behind the wheel in the Classic Touring Car Racing Club Championships he will have more affinity than most with his car.

Having spent most of last season building the 2002 Honda Civic, from a shell he bought on eBay, just getting on the start line will have some degree of satisfaction for the driver from Hilborough, near Mundford.

But the 23-year-old graphic designer has much loftier targets in mind, having not yet tasted an overall race victory, despite class podium successes over two seasons in the MSV Trackday Trophy.

“I was pretty much in the top 10 in every single race I was in last year but am hoping to break my duck of no overall race wins this year, especially as I have built my car from scratch, which may make it better than some of the others,” he said.

He hopes to take the step-up in speed in the Pre 2003 Touring Car Championship in his stride in his new machine, having been used to hurling through hairpins in a Renault Clio last year.

“I am confident I can do well and the step against drivers with more experience will bring me on quicker,” said Allen, who used to race remote control cars to a national level before making the switch to get behind the wheel.