SITTING behind the wheel in a prestigious motorsport series is moving closer for a West Fife teenager after his team for the upcoming season was confirmed.

Dunfermline High School pupil Ben Creanor, 15, will line up on the grid for Mishumotors when this year's Euro NASCAR season – which will feature former Formula One world champion Jacques Villeneuve – revs into action in Valencia in April.

Press Sport reported in November that S4 pupil Ben had applied to win a place in the 2019 driver recruitment programme for the stock car racing series.

The initiative, which aims to find the best drivers representing different backgrounds and develop them into successful drivers, offers the chance to receive a scholarship to compete in the event.

After being invited to take part in two days of testing in France, Ben was successful in gaining a place on the programme and has now agreed a contract with Mishumotors, with whom he will race in the Elite Two class.

He will partner Elite One class driver Lucas Lasserre, a two-time champion of the series, in the team following discussions after the Autosport International show in Birmingham earlier this month.

Ben's thrilled dad, Paul, commented: "This is a great drive for Ben because Lucas is a two-time champion and was third last year. He has also raced in the Le Mans 24-hour and in GP3, which means he has a great deal of knowledge and experience to help Ben in his first year.

"Ben met Lucas at the test in November and he was incredibly supportive and enthusiastic about Ben's driving, so we are very confident that this is going to be a great partnership for Ben, for Lucas and for the team.

"After the Autosport show, we had a good meeting with NASCAR and got the contract done. The main focus of the show was meeting with NASCAR; it was our first opportunity to sit down and iron out the first bits of the season.

"The show was great; he was able to meet a lot of people and it was his first taste of what it's like to have people come and ask loads of questions, and he absolutely loved it.

"After the meeting, Ben talked to some drivers, fans and did a few words for the NASCAR website, and at one stage I asked him, 'When will it feel real?', and he said, 'It does now'."

As well as securing his team for his first season, Ben has received sponsorship from Knockhill Racing Circuit – who will help him attain his racing licence – and the Kingsgate Shopping Centre, and Paul added: "Ben's got a couple of wee tests that he needs to do before April.

"He's looking forward to that; it will be his first chance to work with race engineers and see himself as a driver rather than a tester."

The series begins over the weekend of April 13-14 and anyone interested in sponsoring Ben can contact Press Sport by emailing sport@dunfermlinepress.co.uk, or visit his Facebook page at Ben Creanor Racing.