INGLETON rider Harley Rushton won hard fought races to take three victories at the Donington Park Classic Motorcycle Festival.

The event was round five of the Classic Racing Motorcycle Club (CRMC) Championship and the weather looked unpredictable across the weekend with a threat of thundery showers.

Saturday morning was fine and dry for qualifying, and Rushton ran both bikes, a Craven Honda and Craven Manx Norton, throughout the morning’s sessions.

Rushton, 24, secured some good grid positions with a second place start for the 350cc races then ninth for the 500cc race and eighth for the ACU race.

The first 350cc race was red flagged after lap three, and Rushton had taken the early lead but was relegated back to second place by Dominic Herbertson just before the red flag came out which gave him the victory.

In the first 500cc race of the weekend, Rushton was getting to grips with a new tyre set-up on the bike when a mechanical issue forced him to pull out of the race.

This was later found to be serious and was the end of the weekend for the Craven Manx Norton.

The final 350cc race on Saturday saw Rushton take a light to flag victory, eventually winning by more than eight seconds.

Sunday's forecasted showers held off for the races Rushton was taking part in, but with the radar predicting heavy rain mid-afternoon all races were made nine laps with just one run through the racing schedule.

Race three of the weekend for the 350cc class saw Rushton take an early lead before Isle of Man TT racer Dominic Herbertson made a move towards the front.

Rushton and Herbertson traded places all race long, and back-markers played a crucial part in the race but Rushton carved his way through them on the final lap to take the overall victory at the line.

In the ACU 350cc class a few races later, the pair were at in again in another 10-lap tantalising race of position changes and went down to the final corner.

This time, Herbertson tried overtaking Rushton but ran wide allowing Rushton to get on the power and drive out of the corner to the line taking the ACU 350cc class win.

Rushton said: "The hot and muggy conditions this weekend meant it was warm both on and off track but it was a cracking weekend of tough, close racing.

"I am pleased to come away with three victories, one of which was the ACU 350 race. It's a shame that I couldn't compete on my 500 but that's racing.

"I really enjoyed racing with Dom this weekend. There was some hard but fair racing as we traded places all race long, but neither of us gave up and the 350 class was close as always.

"I'm happy to leave here with a good points haul for my championship challenge on the 350. We are left with some thinking to do among the Craven Classic Racing Team about the future of bikes and classes but as always Ted and Jon have done a sterling job all month preparing the bikes for this weekend."