It WAS all about solid driving and keeping in the championship title race for racing driver Matt Flowers last weekend, writes Tim Ashton.

The Banstead petrolhead is competing in the Ginetta G40 GT5 Challenge for Academy Motorsport, and after nine of 21 rounds is sitting sixth in the 24-man standings.

Flowers has picked up one podium finish in that time – in round two at Brands Hatch – but has not finished outside the top 10 all season.

In his latest outing last weekend at Oulton Park, Flowers overcame some poor qualifying times to keep the stat alive.

He said: “I qualified poorly, I didn’t get enough clear running in practice on the Friday so I was slightly on the back foot.

“I had a good race in race one, the field was very close and my pace improved.

“Although I only managed eighth, I was only a few seconds off the top three at the flag. If I’d have qualified better I could have achieved more.”

He added: “Race two was cut short by the safety car after a big accident and I ended sixth, and in the third race I span trying to catch the leader and finished ninth, which was a disappointing end.”

“Overall, it wasn’t my strongest weekend, but I did manage three solid finishes.

“I’m sixth in the championship as we near the half way stage and I’m confident we can make progress at the next meeting.”

The action moves to Silverstone on June 12.