BOLTON racing driver Chris Hodgen backed up his double win on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit last month with a second place and a victory at Oulton Park. Hodgen’s third victory of the season leaves him just one point behind championship leader Ashley Dibden in the battle for the Mono Formula Three Championship after nine of the 14 races.

It could have been very different, however, after disaster struck on the third lap of pre-race testing on the Friday when Hodgen’s engine failed due to a sudden loss of oil.

Fellow competitor Simon Tate, who could not race, offered the use of his similar Dallara 304 car.

The problem was it was in Dunstable some 160 miles away, and in bits awaiting a rebuild.

Undeterred, two of Hodgen's team members and Tate drove to Dunstable and rebuilt the car throughout the night, and arriving back at Oulton Park at 6.30am.

“Friday was heart breaking," recalled Hodgen. "It looked like our season was over in a flash.

"It was even more stressful due to having more than 50 guests coming for the weekend and my main sponsor, JA Resorts and Hotels, flying over from Dubai just for the race.

"We knew we couldn’t rest until we had sorted something. The car was never going to be perfect as there was no real set-up on it, but we just needed to rescue as many points as possible over the weekend.”

Qualifying was the first time Hodgen had sat in the car and the rush to get it back meant he had to use the ratios that were in the car rather than the correct ones for the Cheshire track.

He still managed to qualify in third place, an amazing 0.06secs off pole position.

The first race went smoothly, apart from a few brake issues which held him back from performing any late moves for position.

A few changes to the car between races gave Hodgen more confidence with the brakes in the second race.

He sat just behind Ben Cater waiting for an opportunity and when the leader was slightly delayed overtaking a back marker on the last lap Hodgen made his move.

The Bolton racer said: “The feeling I had crossing the line to take the win cannot be described.

"From the position we were in on Friday morning to come away with a second and a win is just incredible.

"Big thanks have to go out to my team who all put in an extraordinary amount of effort to make sure those results were possible.

"We just have to keep the momentum going into the final two meetings of the season at Snetterton in Norfolk and Donington Park in Derbyshire”