A DISABLED racing driver from Southampton has further extended his lead in pole position at a national racing championship.
Chris Overend joined Team BRIT in September last year.
On August 14, the 39-year-old returned to the Donington track for the fourth race of the Britcar Trophy.
He teamed up with James Whitely, a Paralympian who was born without fingers, driving the team’s BMW M240i.
Team Brit aims to be the first-ever all-disabled team to race in the Le Mans 24-hour.
Chris and James qualified in first place on Saturday despite scorching temperatures putting additional pressure on drivers.
Race one took place on Sunday morning, however, a technical issue meant they were forced to retire.
They pushed on in race two, winning their class and extending their overall championship lead, putting them clear of the second-place team by nine points.
This follows wins at Silverstone and Snetterton in what is the first season of racing for both drivers.
Chris was born with developmental dysplasia of the hips and has lived with injuries, pain and mobility challenges since the age of 12.
He said: "This was the toughest weekend I’ve had this year with the team. Coming into the race we knew we would be battling the heat, I just didn’t anticipate how much of a battle that would be.
“Ultimately, we proved yet again how strong we are as a team. James put in a stunning drive in race two to bring home another class win.”
Fellow Southampton resident Paul Fullick also drove for the team at Donington in a BMW 118i.
Paul lost part of his right leg following a motorbike accident and competes alongside rookie driver Tyrone Mathurin from London. Paul and Tyrone finished P6 in their class.
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