DESPITE having won only one previous race this season – in March at King's Lynn – defending champion Frankie Wainman Jnr has won an unprecedented ninth British Stock Car Drivers' Association (BSCDA) Championship at Sheffield.

It was the Silsden 46-year-old's third victory in the event at Owlerton Stadium, the others having come in 2004 and 2005.

In the 20-lap British Championship final, in which 23 cars competed, Frankie Jnr's brother Danny was on row two, with Wainman Jnr in the inside of row three, and the latter made a great start to go third.

A couple of laps later, Wainman Jnr was second, half a lap behind Tom Harris, only for the leader to be slowed by Dan Johnson, allowing Wainman Jnr to close to Harris' back bumper.

By the time Harris passed Johnson and before Wainman Jnr could capitalise, the yellow flags came out after Frankie Wainman Jnr Jnr has gone into the third-bend fence.

However, on the rolling lap restart, all was not well with Wainman Jnr's car.

He said: "I had no clutch pedal and had to start in first gear. Luckily, Tom had no idea.

"Had he known, all he would have had to do was hit the brakes going into the corner and I would have stalled it.

"It would have restarted but I would have been a mile behind him. Luckily, I managed to keep on his bumper, and I was off the brakes and the throttle to keep going. When it went green I could only go so many revs and clip it into second without the clutch. I got that right, locked it in gear and obviously I dropped that bit behind him."

On the wave of the green flag, Harris took off and, as the track began to dry, was able to maintain his lead from Wainman Jnr, who only gained ground when Mark Gilbank tried to reach the infield.

This was a game-changing moment, and Wainman Jnr seized his chance, launching himself at the Harris rear bumper, sending the Banbury driver into the pit-bend fence.

"Tom just glanced Gilbank's bumper, and it held him up that split second and I knew at that point I could get to him. I thought it was now or never. Luckily, I held it and I just missed him when he bounced out," said Wainman Jnr.

Wainman Jnr was then able to control the race, with Stuart Smith Jnr second and Mat Newson third.