MOTORSPORT: Experienced racing driver and instructor Tim Matthews led his new Team So outfit into action at Thruxton.

The new team was set up to run drivers who have been successful in the 2003 Exchange and Mart UK F1 Drivers Challenge.

It includes Worcester drivers Ben Griffiths, Carl Tompson and Tim Perry as well as Scottish JCB driver Neil Purdie.

They drove Le Mans type two litre sportscars into the UK Sports 2000 Pro Series with Tompson and Perry competing in the 2000 Championship.

Matthews, of Astley, had a poor qualifying session and finished 13th in his Gunn TS6 before dropping to 17th on race day after missing a gear round the first corner.

But he charged through to lap many drivers, ending up third overall and first in class behind eventual winner Matt Manderton and Dave Mountain.

Purdie drove well for fifth, second in class, and Griffiths was eighth but the championship race was red flagged due to a bad accident when a driver had to be cut free from his vehicle.

In another race date, Matthews did not have the best preparation for the big Sports 2000 Festival meeting at Brands Hatch, Kent.

The Wyre Forest man's car was flung off the track when a frame tube snapped in qualifying but the repairs were completed with minutes to spare.

Matthews dropped back to seventh round the first corner and Purdie to 10th as both drivers made poor starts in the race proper.

The more experienced driver worked his way through to fourth but was unable to make any impression on the leading three.

Purdie's race was more complicated as a spin dropped him to seventh at the finish.

Matthews is fifth overall but still leads class B by one point, while Purdie is sixth in class and 12th overall.