It may have been an audacious decision, but putting his faith in his experienced mechanic would pay dividends, as the tyre choice proved spot-on and within a handful of laps Tom was already into the lead from ninth on the grid on a very greasy track. It was an advantage the BRDC Stars of Tomorrow front-runner and 2006 Mini Max Champion would never relinquish, and one that left his confidence sky-high ahead of the last heat of the day, which he would start from the fourth row.
“Where I would usually make the moves I didn't want to risk it,” Tom said, alluding to the drying racing line in heat three that meant any overtaking manoeuvres would involve venturing onto the wetter – and therefore slipperier – part of the track. “The leader kept defending over the closing laps, and I knew finishing second would be good enough for pole so I just stayed where I was rather than risk bending the chassis for the sake of a heat win.”
Thereby beginning the final from the top spot, Tom's task was not made easy when the drivers on the outside of the front two rows jumped the start and went unpunished, leaving him back in fourth place and almost four seconds adrift of leader Dominic Russell at the end of the opening lap. In a superbly gritty display, however, the current Wycombe and Marlow Sports Personality of the Year showed exactly why you should never count him out by keeping his head and producing consistently strong lap times to whittle down Russell's advantage and seize the lead at the top of the hill.
Having not put a wheel out of place all weekend, he would go on to take the chequered flag almost half a second to the good after twelve laps of breathless pursuit, with a huge cheer from the crowd as he crossed the line testament to victory for one of the most popular and respected drivers in the paddock.
![BRDC Stars of Tomorrow Junior Max front-runner Tom Ingram leading the field on his Athenium Racing debut at Whilton Mill [pic credit: Pixelero]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/399515.jpg)
