Engineering apprentice Matthew Booth is making a name for himself in kit car racing.
Speed ace Matthew, 21, of Denby Dale, is on track for success as the youngest driver in his championship class.
Matthew is competing in the 750 Motor Club Sports Specials championship and has clocked up his first win in only six races.
Matthew spent the best part of 12 months – and a cool £25,000 of dad’s money – building his own MK Indy RR sports car.
It’s a two-litre lightweight beast with a power-to-weight ratio similar to a Ferrari or Lamborghini and a top speed of 140mph.
See a driver's-eye video of Matthew in action here!
Matthew, who started go-kart racing when he was 13, has taken success in his stride and said: “It’s great to win but I’m not getting carried away.
“I just want to do well in this championship and see where it goes from there.”
Matthew found a talent for motor sport in karting and after he spent a season competing in Locost kitcar racing, dad Darryl, 57, said: “Shall we get one of our own?”
Matthew jumped at the chance and used the skills he was learning at work in precision engineering to build his own car and race tune the engine.
“It’s all self-taught really,” said Matthew. “But we’ve set the car up more for reliability than absolute power, then it’s all down to me on the track.”
Matthew, youngest of around 25-30 drivers, made his Sports Specials debut at Oulton Park in Cheshire coming fourth in both races in Round One.
In Round Two at Brands Hatch in Kent in came fourth again in both races but in the third round at Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire he took the chequered flag.
He warmed up with a fifth in the first race, winning the second.
Matthew is currently lying second in the championship with Round Four of the seven-round series set for Snetterton in Norwich on June 25 and 26.
Find out more about Matthew at www.matthewboothracing.com
