Shane Kelly capped a terrific all-Eastleigh team effort by qualifying for the final of the Formula Renault Championship Winter Series event at Donington Park.
The young Eastleigh driver was having his first race for the Eastleigh-based Jensen Motorsport team and was looking good for a top 20 finish when his suspension broke and he spun out of the race.
Several new teams were trying to get a foothold in the championship but, according to Kelly - a front-runner in the BRDC Formula Ford Championship two years ago - Jensen were going better than most at Donington.
Kelly took 12th place in his heat to miss out on a final slot by just two places.
But he made no mistake in a second qualifying session after starting from third on the grid and virtually holding station for the rest of his heat.
He qualified 25th on the grid for the 30-car final and made up several places on the opening laps before someone behind him left his braking too late and shoved him on to the grass at Coppice.
But Kelly got going again and was picking up places when the suspension broke and forced him into a 360-degree spin.
Kelly outpaced Jensen number one driver Wayne Clarke but problems over sponsorship forced the Eastleigh racer to miss out on the Jensen drive in the next Formula Renault event at Brands Hatch.
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