YOUNG Ross-on-Wye driver James Sibbet is aiming to secure the runners-up spot in the Bookatrack Caterham Graduates national championship.

The 20-year-old has two races remaining and is now neck and neck with Eddie Benson for second place.

Trevor Newman clinched the title at the narrow Cadwell Park circuit where Sibbet crashed out for the first time this season.

After six laps of the 25-minute race, Sibbet had worked himself up from seventh to third.

He then tried an overtaking move but ran out of track and crashed into a barrier.

The impact damaged the vehicle’s offside rear and ended the Herefordshire driver’s involvement in the race.

It was a disappointing end to Sibbet’s title challenge.

With Newman winning the race, he also claimed this year’s championship title.

But Sibbet is looking forward to the final two races at the Spa Francorchamps grand prix circuit in Belgium on October 4 and 5.

Sibbet has had an excellent season - claiming a win and a second place at Silverstone.

He followed that up with another second place at the Anglesey International Circuit in North Wales.

Sibbet is competing at the premier circuits around the UK.

“Silverstone was fantastic,” said Sibbet, who works for Dawleys in Ross on Wye.

“With all of the Grand Prix hoardings and advertising in place the atmosphere was buzzing, and we had about 90 Caterhams racing in three different classes.”

Sibbet races in the ‘Super Graduate’ class for 130bhp cars with limited modifications, and rain during the qualifying sessions worked very much in his favour.

“Before moving to cars I raced karts for 10 years, and that really teaches you about driving in wet conditions,”, he said.

Sibbet comfortably secured pole for both races with times a couple of seconds a lap faster than his nearest rivals, where differences are usually measured in hundredths of a second.

Race one began with a still-damp track, and saw Sibbet engaged in an early four-way fight before steadily pulling away from the field to take a comfortable win ahead of champion-elect Newman.

Race two was an altogether more nail-biting affair.

After the usual early tussles on a now-dry track, Sibbet and Newman eased away from the field of 32 cars, setting up a classic duel.

Each lap saw a different leader as the pair slipstreamed and passed each other, jockeying for position on the final tour of the circuit.

On the straight into Luffield bend, Sibbet dived into the lead, with Newman coming back at him as the pair crossed the line together, the lap-timer giving the race to Newman by a tenth of a second.

“I wanted to leave my challenge until we came off the final bend,” said Sibbet.

“But Trevor missed a gear on the straight after Becketts and I had to pass him, leaving him sitting on my shoulder at the last turn.

“Slipstreaming is so important at Silverstone, and Trevor used it well to get the drop on me as we approached the flag – he did exactly what I’d planned to do myself!”

The Anglesey International meeting saw unusually sunny weather while the rest of the country was deluged, disappointing wet weather-lovers like Sibbet.

Qualifying fourth on the grid, Sibbet became locked in a five-way battle for second place as Newman edged out a decisive lead over the field.

The stunningly-beautiful, undulating circuit gave the drivers plenty of opportunity to pass each other under braking and it entertained the enthusiastic spectators.

As Sibbet moved through to the front of the chasing group, disaster struck for Newman as part of his chassis snapped and he was forced to retire from the race.

This left Sibbet in the lead with Tim Gudgeon-Osteritter close on his tail as they began the final lap.

“Unfortunately I’d over-cooked my tyres in the first half of the race,” said Sibbet. “And Tim was able to squeeze past me at the end of the uphill straight under braking.

“I was conscious that I needed a good result with Trevor going off, and reluctantly decided to take the second rather than risk taking both Tim and myself out with a do-or-die last bend pass!”

“I finished third in the table in 2007, my first year,” said Sibbet.

“And I’m keen to improve on that this year.

“But with more than 50 drivers registered for this class it’s very, very competitive.

“I run on a shoestring budget, which means I can’t compete on things like engine refreshing – I just have to do it on the track!”

“But second place in the championship, overall, would be terrific.”