HEADLESS Cross hope Stefan Hodgetts finally secured the remaining sponsorship needed to compete in the new Seat Cupra Championship - and then went on to announce his arrival by winning the first race of the ten round series.

Hodgetts tied up the final details last week before joining testing at Croft ahead of the opening round.

After just four laps he was forced to retire after clipping a kerb and cracking the engine sump.

But he left that inauspicious start behind him to qualify on pole for the first race of the weekend double-header and went on to make history by winning the first ever Seat Cupra race.

Hodgetts, sponsored by Club Ventura, could not make it a double win and had to be satisfied with seventh in the second race after a mistake on the exit to the chicane on lap eight saw him go onto the grass. But with the 20-year-old lying third in the championship, six points behind Robert Huff, he is confident ahead of the next round at his favoured Silverstone.

Hodgetts has already said he intends to kick-start his championship challenge on the circuit he knows inside out because he works there and he told the Advertiser he is looking forward to the next round.

Silverstone workmate Enzo Mucci heads north of the border at the weekend for the next round of the British GT Championship at Knockhill, Scotland.