I?m really looking forward now to rounds three and four of the Webcon UK National FF1600 championship at Snetteron which will take place the first weekend in May.

Obviously we are keen to maintain the momentum from Anglesey where we came away with the championship lead after a win and a 2nd place. Mind you I had some really tough competition from Rory Butcher and I?m expecting more of the same from him and a few others in the races that are coming up. I?m definately not expecting it to be easy but I wouldn?t want it any other way!

It was great to get some good write ups in the motorsport press. It?s nice to know my efforts are appreciated. It will hopefully go a long way to helping us secure the funding we need to do the rest of the season; we have to keep the sponsors happy! Talking of which I am pleased to announce that a new sponsor has joined us recently “Essex Gas Utilities” and they along with Lamberhurst Corporation, ScanDoc and Baines Leasing will hopefully keep us on track this season.

I realise that in the current difficult economic climate I am very fortunate to have any sponsors at all but without them I definately wouldn?t be racing so I?m naturally keen to ensure that they all receive the maximum benefit that they can from being involved with us.

I?ve been far from idle since Anglesey. I?ve been working hard for the Project One Racing Kart Team, training at the gym, building my own website www.scottmalvern.com and next week will be visiting Haven House Children?s Hospice (www.havenhouse.org.uk) and looking at ways that we can raise their profile through my motorsport activity and hopefully also raise some much needed funds for their appeal.

Congratulations to my friend Robert Ladbrooke who managed to keep it steady and on the island in his race debut in the Mini Challenge at Rockingham last weekend and to Abbie Eaton on her successful Sport Maxx class B debut at the same meeting. Also belated congats to James Cole for an excellent first championship weekend at Oulton Park driving of course for my old mates at Jamun Racing.

I?ll be blogging again after Snetterton to let you all know how things went. Bye for now Scott.

Well I have just returned from North Wales where I raced in the opening two rounds of the Webcon UK National Formula Ford championship and what a weekend it was! This was my first ever visit to Anglesey and I have to say it?s a lovely location on the North Wales coast almost right on the beach!

The event was a double header so we used the 1.55 mile Coastal layout on Saturday and the longer 2.10 mile International GP track on Sunday. My style and set up seemed to prefer the longer track but I didn?t do too badly in qualifying for the shorter coastal circuit just missing pole position, to the very experienced Rory Butcher by the tightest of margins. Not bad for a novice participating in only his second car event!

The conditions were bright but breezy as we lined up on the grid for the start of the 20 minute race. I can?t describe the feeling you have when the red light goes on and you see the 5 second board. Everything is just focused on making the perfect start. I got away cleanly but as Rory had the inside line into turn one I had to tuck in behind him with third placed David Grady following closely.

Rory and I were fast and I stuck to his gearbox like glue. This enabled the pair of us to pull clear of third placed Grady. Into the second half of the race and once I felt it was safe to do so I began to look for passing opportunities to get by Rory. I?m sure his mirrors were full of my car and I know he was rattled a little as the odd mistake began to creep in. He took too much kerb running onto the start finish straight but I was actually too close to him to get a run on him and there was a similar opportunity when I got alongside him into the helter skelter like corkscrew turn but Rory is a very experienced campaigner and didn?t give me enough room to take advantage. Fair play to him; he soaked up the pressure from me and held out just taking the win at the end with me very close behind him. But I was not unhappy with the result and it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience especially after the disappointment I felt when I broke down on my car race debut at Mondello Park three weeks ago. Just as the icing on the cake, I also took fastest lap which means two bonus championship points and possibly set a new lap record which we are waiting to have confirmed.

So after Saturday, we were all set to do it again on Sunday, but this time on the longer GP International circuit. I was feeling quietly confident after Saturday but without taking anything for granted. There are some very good and very experienced drivers in this championship and I know that I am still learning!

Qualifying went very well and the team left me out just long enough to set pole position without putting too much wear on my tyres. I was extremely pleased with this. But Rory Butcher who?d won Saturday?s race wasn?t very far off of me and I knew we were set for another battle with again David Grady just behind us.

I again made a good start and this time I held the inside line and the lead into turn one. But Rory was this time stuck to my gearbox and I knew that there would be more overtaking opportunities on the longer circuit so it was going to be cat and mouse unless I could break the tow.

I had a real job keeping Rory behind me and my defensive driving was compromising lap times so third placed Grady began to gain on the pair of us. Then on lap 9 of the scheduled 13 Rory made a slight mistake going into the Rocket hairpin at the very top of the circuit. This enabled Grady to get alongside him and while Rory had his hands full with him I seized my chance. I got my head and the hammer down and decided to clear off setting fastest lap of the race and very possibly a new lap record in my bid to get away. I opened up a two second gap at this point; it was real ten tenths stuff but with my tyres protesting at the abuse I was giving them I didn?t want to take undue risks especially as I almost out braked myself into the left hander at the corkscrew. I eased off as I could see that Rory having had to fight off David Grady wasn?t too close and I just drove smoothly on the last couple of laps to take my first victory in what was only my third race and still with my novice plate on the back of the car!

It was fantastic seeing the chequered flag being put out for me and with it being a nice day several spectators had come to watch and many of them sounded their horns on my slowing down lap which was nice as was the applause of the marshal?s.

I?d like to say a really big thank you Rory Butcher for two great races; you are hard but fair and of course a massive thank you to everyone at Cliff Dempsey Racing for making this possible. Thanks to Peter Dempsey for doing a great job as my mechanic and driver coach this weekend and an incredibly big thank you to my three fantastic sponsors without whose support I couldn?t compete so thank you very much to Lamberhurst Corporation (Consultancy for Business), ScanDoc (Electronic Document Management) and Baines of Ripon (Workshop and Office leasing).