Young racer returns in poll position at nationals

Hucknall race talent Ruben Hage is all smiles after he returned from the first round of the UK Autograss Championship in poll position.

Hage, driving in his first national level Autograss meeting, went with sights set on gaining experience against the country’s elite junior saloon car competitors.

But he surprised everyone by dominating all three races and came away with maximum points, the class lead and the joint lead of the overall championship after winning all three races.

With adverse weather conditions forecast all weekend, the oval grass track at Hereford soon became quagmire and would prove to be a challenging meeting, requiring skill rather than simply raw speed to stay ahead of the competition.

Despite only taking his first win last month in Scarborough, Hage had been seeded fourth by the pundits’ predictions for the overall championship.

His performance exceeded everyone’s expectations as he took three straight wins - making that four back-to-back wins for this young 13-year-old racer from Nottingham Autograss Club.

“It’s the first time I’ve raced at this track and I was hoping to secure at least one podium this weekend,” said Hage. “But I never dreamt of winning them all!”

Whilst confidence is naturally running high in the Hage camp, Ruben’s feet remain firmly on the ground as he knows how quickly fortunes can change.

He added: “It’s a dream start to the championship, but I can’t get carried away. I came to learn this year and I know I’ll have many lessons to come, some of which will be harsh.”

The UK Autograss Championship heads South to Somerset on 23rd-24th June, where the GardX International backed driver will look to carry his Nissan Micra’s pace forward into the second round of five and maintain his championship lead.