A TRIO of Woodmill High School pupils stars raced their way on to the podium at a British karting competition at the first attempt.

Talented drivers Matthew Collings, Alex Spriggs and Lee McLean finished second at the British School Karting Championship after producing a superb performance at the national final on July 1.

The youngsters made the trip to Whilton Mill in Northamptonshire after being entered into the competition by depute rector Steve Norris and had to negotiate two separate qualifying events before competing in the national final.

After winning their March semi-final in Cambuslang ahead of Williamwood High School courtesy of three first places, they progressed to the Scottish regional final before advancing on to the showpiece after taking another chequered flag.

A total of 26 schools teams from across the UK and Northern Ireland, including Williamwood and East Dunbartonshire’s Eastwood High, were on the grid and took part in 10 competitive races.

It was a British Championship debut for Woodmill and, in addition to winning heat eight, their three drivers made up 24 places between them over just five races.

Collings, the only MSA (Motor Sports Association)-licensed driver on the team, enjoyed two excellent drives from 15th to fourth in his first race, and eighth to win in his second, while excellent supporting results from McLean (fourth and fifth in his respective races) and Spriggs, who took a fifth place, enabled the team to finish runners-up.

The Brentwood School A team took top spot while third place on the podium was taken by Silverstone UTC C.

As well as team success, Collings, having finished as the highest-placed driver to hold a racing licence at the level of Karting National B or higher in either 2015, 2016 or 2017, was awarded free entry into the Ginetta Junior Scholarship for 2018, which will see one budding racing driver win a fully-funded season in next year’s Ginetta Junior Championship.

British School Karting Championship founder Will Tew, who began the event a decade ago, said: “The skills of the drivers improve year on year and that has been demonstrated at this year’s final. The BSKC was started to give young people a chance to experience the thrill and excitement of motorsports, and excitement is certainly what we got in the final.”

Ahead of the final, Collings – who competes in the British Super One Series – finished eighth in the second final of the junior rotax competition, in which he is 14th in the standings.

He is also competing in the Northern Karting Federation (NKF) junior rotax competition where, at the midway point, he continues to lead after four rounds following success in finals at Fulbeck and Rowrah.