Days of Thunder round 11 and 12 report, photos and video

Local driver Mike Luck from Redditch ended his rookie season in Days of Thunder with a philosophical view of ups and downs, and a 10th place finish in the final round at Rockingham.

Driving the number 7 car, backed by Birmingham101.com, he qualified on the sixth row of the grid ,in second place in the "Rookie" championship with two races to go.

"Much better, we are where we should have been all the time,” he said. “The car felt great and there was possibly a better time to come. We got out late though and I only did two flyers before it rained.”

After losing out to his closest rivals at the start of race one, Luck started to make up ground and started to close on outgoing champion Ben Collins. Continuning to run in 14th place to the pitstops, it all started to go wrong for Mike.

"I messed up the pitstop by coming in too quick when I saw Malcolm Clein chasing me,” Luck said. “I had too much lock on the front wheels and it made a wheel stick during the change. Then I got a drive through penalty and just got on the best I could for the rest of the race."

The result was a disappointing 15th place, two places behind chief Rookie rival Clein, as fellow Midlands driver Skid Carrera also moved ahead of him.

Race two started much more positively as he passed Malcolm Clein and Ben Collins at the start. By lap six he was in the top ten and chasing down John Steward for ninth. He held his place during the pitstops and was heading for ninth until World Legends Champion John Higgins pipped him overall and in the Rookie class with a lap to go.

"The car was fine,” Luck said, “and my stop was just wonderful this time."

	CLICK HERE for lowband connection CLICK HERE for Broadband connection John Higgins amazing spin and the remarkable driving by Mark Proctor & Mike Luck to miss him by inches

	CLICK HERE for lowband connection CLICK HERE for Broadband connection Mike Luck and pit crew prepare for the race

	CLICK HERE for lowband connection CLICK HERE for Broadband connection Action from Round 12

	CLICK HERE for lowband connection CLICK HERE for Broadband connection The incredible celebrations by the drivers at the end of Round 12 and the finale to the season. Worth going to just to have seen this!

Days of Thunder team Torquespeed had plenty to celebrate after the Snap On 100 at Rockingham with Stevie Hodgson becoming 2004 Days of Thunder champion after following home Torquespeed team-mate Ian McKellar Jr to the chequered flag.

McKellar Jr victory was his second Days of Thunder win of the season, while Hodgson's second place finish was enough to secure the title with one round left to run.

The race was run at 10.00am due to the threat of rain later in the day, with pole-sitter Oli Playle relinquishing the lead at the start to fellow front row starter Rob Speak, who charged around the outside of Playle to take the lead before Turn Two. Hodgson also forced his way passed the Liberty X/Team West-Tec Pontiac to go second.

Hodgson was soon into his stride and closed in on Speak, running side-by-side down the start/finish straight to take the lead in his Team Monopoly/Torquespeed Chevrolet into Turn Two on lap 3.

By this stage McKellar Jr had arrowed his dsi/Torquespeed Chevrolet up through the pack to go fifth just behind Mark Proctor, with Michael Vergers filling out the top six in his NEC/Team West-Tec Chevrolet.

As Hodgson pulled clear of Speak and Playle, Chris Cooke spun into the wall into Turn Four on Lap 5 to bring out the yellow flags.

The race was restarted on Lap 14 with Hodgson holding the lead from Speak, but Playle lost third to McKellar Jr out of Turn Three. As Mickel passed Richardson to go seventh on Lap 16, the leading four began to pull away from the pack.

The pace was fast with Hodgson setting the fastest lap of the race, a 35.994-second lap on Lap 18, with McKellar Jr also flying, passing Speak on the inside of Turn Four two laps later. The US Automotive/Team Turn Four Ford of Speak dropped another place on the following lap into Turn Two as Playle regained third place.

Up at the front McKellar Jr began to put Hodgson under increasing pressure, taking the lead into Turn Four on Lap 25.

McKellar Jr put some space between himself and his team-mate, going 1.3 seconds clear with a battle raging for second place between Hodgson, Playle and Speak. Behind these Mickel was closing rapidly on fifth placed Vergers.

The front four closed up again as the pit-stop window opened and as the crews went to work the Torquespeed crews got the front two back out in the lead, with Playle third ahead of Mickel, Vergers, Richardson, Speak and Swan.

As the field settled down, McKellar Jr was 1.2 seconds ahead of Hodgson, who was now 5.1 seconds ahead of Mickel who had taken third from Playle into Turn Four. Vergers also moved ahead of Playle ￢ﾀﾓ the 19-year-old began to struggle with wheel bearing problems in his left rear wheel and was forced to pit on Lap 45.

Richardson was the man on a charge at this stage of the 60-lap race. The Team Darkness Chevrolet passed Playle on Lap 39 and closed down on Vergers. Up at the front the race wasn't over as Hodgson made a late race charge to try and take his third win of the year.

Two battles raged on track with the two leaders battling hard for the victory while further back Richardson passed Vergers to go fourth on Lap 52, and began a late-race chase after the Xerox Torquespeed Ford of Mickel.

With three laps to go Richardson closed up on Mickel, taking the final podium place in Turn One. Up front, meanwhile, Hodgson settled for second place in the knowledge that the championship title was assured.

McKellar Jr flashed by the flag 1.2 seconds ahead of Hodgson, with Richardson taking a well-deserved third place ahead of Mickel, Vergers, Steward, Speak and Swan.

"I knew I could do it all along," Hodgson said of his title success. "I just needed the right car and the right team to prove it. I have to thank John Mickel for giving me the chance to win it for them."

Ian McKellar Jr scored his second win at the Days of Thunder finale at Rockingham, leading home Dutchman Michael Vergers and new Days of Thunder champion Stevie Hodgson after a two lap dash to the flag.

While John Mickel was unable to make the start with terminal mechanical problems to put an end to his bid for second place overall in the series, the race was dominated by McKellar Jr, the dsi/Torquespeed Chevrolet driver leading the race from the start from pole position.

McKellar Jr went wheel-to-wheel with team-mate Hodgson for the first lap before stamping his authority on proceedings, leading from Hodgson, Shaun Richardson in the Team Darkness Chevrolet, Vergers, Rob Speak and Anthony Swan.

Further back Oli Playle was storming through the pack and was already in the top ten after the second lap. On Lap 4 2003 Days of Thunder champion Ben Collins retired from the race with a differential that was about to break. "It was about to pack up," said Collins. "It wasn't safe to continue."

On Lap 5 John Higgins spun coming out of Turn Four to bring out the yellow flags, with Mark Proctor remarkably avoiding the Crash.net/Renegrade Racing Chevrolet by inches.

McKellar Jr led the restart on Lap 11 ahead of Hodgson, Richardson, Vergers and Speak, with Playle passing Speak to go fifth on Lap 12. As in the first race of the day McKellar Jr and Hodgson pulled clear of the pack, while Playle continued his blistering pace, passing Vergers down the inside of Turn Four to go fourth on Lap 18.

At one-third distance, McKellar Jr and Hodgson were 2.5 seconds ahead of Richardson, with Playle 3.4 seconds further back ahead of Vergers and Speak.

On Lap 28 Playle caught and passed Richardson in Turn Four to move into third place, with the two leaders pitting for their mandatory tyre stop a lap later. Playle stayed out for a lap and when the field sorted itself out, it was Hodgson who momentarily led McKellar Jr, until the dsi/Torquespeed star regained the lead before his first lap out of the pits was complete. Playle was third, with Vergers, Richardson and Speak rounding out the top six.

By Lap 34 McKellar Jr surged clear of Hodgson, who was being caught by the Team West-Tec pair of Playle and Vergers. Playle made his bid for second place on Lap 39, battling side-by-side with Hodgson through Turns Two, Three and Four before making the move stick out of Turn One.

At this stage McKellar Jr was 5.5 seconds ahead of his young pursuer, with that lead being cut to 4.5 seconds on Lap 42. Playle cut the lead to 2.5 seconds by Lap 51 when John Steward spun coming out of Turn Three to bring out the yellows for the second time.

Having led comfortably throughout, McKellar Jr now had to fend off the pack for a two lap dash to the flag. The leader got a great restart to maintain his lead, as behind him Playle lost out to team-mate Vergers for second place, with Hodgson also forcing his way by the Liberty X/Team West-Tec Pontiac into Turn Two.

At the flag McKellar Jr completed his Days of Thunder finale double and his third race victory of the season with Vergers and Hodgson taking the remaining podium places, ahead of Richardson, Speak, Phil Weaver and Proctor.

"It hasn't been the best year for me overall," McKellar Jr said after his win. "But today has been fantastic and a great result for the team and our sponsors."

Vergers was pleased with his finish. "I've always been good at restarts so it was nice to get ahead of Oli. I made the pass and that was that," Vergers said. "You can't let the youngsters have it all their own way all the time, can you!"

Collins said of the new champion Hodgson: "I'm pleased for Stevie. He's a great driver and a great guy. Stevie's driven really well all season and I'm really happy that it is him who has won the title."