CHINEHAM saloon driver Chris Mohan celebrated a brilliant first season in the Dunlop VAG Trophy Championship with a gong at the end of season awards dinner.

Mohan picked up the silverware for finishing third in the Mk4 Golf GTI/TDI Challenge class, a reward for eight podium finishes over the course of the season.

The opening rounds took place on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit and saw Mohan use wet tyres for the first time. A credible seventh in race one was followed up with a great fourth place in race two.

Rockingham International circuit was his next challenge and resulted in low and high points.

A blown MAF sensor brought race one to a halt, but his next outing was a great success. Mohan fought his way from the back of the grid to claim a fantastic third place and his first podium of the season.

The Snetterton 300 circuit in Norfolk, a track the Chineham driver had raced on before, unlike most of the other circuits, was the next stop .

This familiarity of the circuit and the good weather conditions helped him to gain two strong results, finishing fourth and third.

For the next rounds at Brands Hatch, a lot of family and friends were in attendance and Mohan was keen to put on a show.

In an action-packed race, the Chineham driver negotiated his way through the field and managed to bring the car home in third place.

Park International was the finale of the season and Mohan’s first race came to an early end when he was hit from behind and forced to retire.

In between the races, his car was patched up by a mixture of Chris Mohan Racing team members, Big Bear and Moore’s Motor mechanics, as well as friends, who feverishly reconstructed the car.

Their hard work was rewarded as, in his final outing of the season, Mohan claimed an incredible fourth place.

Mohan said: “It’s been a fantastic season, with more ups than downs.

“It certainly has exceeded all of the team’s expecta-tions.

“I would just like to say a massive thank you to my sponsors, Intuitive Systems Networks Ltd, friends and family, and all of the Chris Mohan Racing team.

“It’s been a big learning curve for all the team, including myself.”

The driver is now aiming for the title next season and is on the look-out for more sponsorship to realise his dream.

Anyone who can help is asked to contact Mohan by email chrismohan_145@ hotmail.com.