WINKLEBURY off-road racer Jason Nicoll is determined to end this year’s All Wheel Drive Club Safari Championships on a high.

Having finished last year fifth overall driving a Land Rover, this season he purchased a Mattserati off road race car which has a 4.2 V8 semi sequential gearbox running on 14-inch travel suspension.

In the season opener at Waterbeach Barracks, in Cambridge, heavy rain made the conditions appalling, even for the off-road machines and forced Nicoll to retire due to overheating and fuel issues.

The championship then moved to south Wales and the Walters Arena, where the fuel issues returned, forcing the Winklebury driver to settle for a midfield finish, which he felt was not a bad result at a venue where the cars travel at more than 70 mph with the trees only a foot away from either side of the track.

Nicoll then took a break from the championship to race in an event at Deepcut Barracks and was in contention to win until he suffered the heartache of a transfer box failure.

Last month, Ross on Wye was the venue for the next round of the championship and in very hot conditions, 39-year-old Nicoll came home 19th out of 56 starters.

The service team of Andy Nicoll, Harry Nicoll, John Randall and Bev Randall are now busy giving the car a full suspension service and upgrade ahead of his next outing at Ilfacombe on September 1.

Nicoll and navigator Kirstie Randall will be hoping to improve on their last finish and Nicoll said: “With the help of our sponsors Keith Gott Landrovers, Alton and Krazybodywork.com we are looking to finish 2013 on a high as we get ready to make a real push in 2014.”