A WEST FIFE teenager is preparing to release the handbrake on his Euro NASCAR debut – and insists he’s in it to win it.

Dunfermline High School pupil Ben Creanor, who turned 16 last month, will begin practice today (Thursday) ahead of the series’ opening races in Valencia this weekend.

He will feature in the Elite Two class of the stock car racing series, in which former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve is set to feature, after winning a place on its 2019 driver recruitment programme.

The initiative aims to find the best drivers representing different backgrounds and Ben, who applied having been successful in virtual racing, was accepted and recruited by Mishumotors.

He has since gone on to earn his UK and international racing licences, aided by Knockhill Racing Circuit and competing at race meetings at Silverstone and Oulton Park, and is now set to take his place on the grid for the first time.

Ben, whose medical for his licence was completed by Pitreavie firm Business Medical, will partner Elite One class driver Lucas Lasserre, a two-time champion of the series, in the team and said: “If I can go out and get somewhere close to what Lucas is doing, we’re in it to win it in Spain.

“I won’t be over-confident because I know I could go out and stuff it on lap one but I’ve got every faith in myself and the car that we can get something good out of it.

“The main focus is to finish both races but we know that we can finish both in a good position.”

The first race in Ben’s class takes place on Saturday, with the second on Sunday.