MIRFIELD motorsport ace Stevie Hodgson is just two races away from clinching a major championship title.
The 31-year-old is a star of the Days of Thunder series, which sees supercharged sports cars hurtle round an oval track at 170mph.
Hodgson needs to finish in the top six in the opening race of the weekend at the Rockingham circuit in Northamptonshire to put this year's title beyond the reach of his rivals.
Otherwise, two scoring finishes in the final two rounds will also secure the trophy.
Hodgson, who began racing when just 11 - encouraged by his dad, David, now 57 - scored six podium finishes, including two wins, from 10 starts this season.
He and his father run Automotive Electricals in Mirfield.
Hodgson said: "I'm not thinking about the title yet. I'm just going to concentrate on finishing well in the first race and let the points sort themselves out."
Over the years he has clinched nine championships and raced in American Nascar tour events.
The Days of Thunder series features V8 supercars similar to those in the 1990 Hollywood blockbuster of the same name which starred Tom Cruise.
The high-octane sport is screened on Channel 4 and satellite TV.
As all cars have virtual identical performances, great demands are placed on the driver's skill.
