Fareham-based motorsport star James Wren finally enjoyed some good fortune last weekend as the Formula Ford racer stormed through the field to take a top ten finish in front of the biggest crowds of Castle Combe's season.

Wren's 2003 campaign was rudely disrupted by two violent accidents in which he was blamelessly involved, and his efforts to put such misfortune behind him this year had so far been hampered by appalling weather at Silverstone and then an early red flag at Castle Combe three weeks ago. Last weekend's Combe meeting was the ideal time for his luck to change, as the local Formula Ford 1600 series raced joined for the bill for the British Formula Three and GT meeting - the Wiltshire's circuit's showpiece event. British F3 is regarded as one of the best training grounds for future Formula One stars, while drivers and cars fresh from the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours graced the GT sportscar races. For one weekend only, talented amateur racers like James could share a paddock with top drivers such as Nelson Piquet Junior; whose similarly named father won the F1 World Championship in 1981, 1983 and 1987. The day got off to a quiet start for Wren, who qualified 22 nd in the 33-car field. He was pushed into a violent roll at Combe's Bobbies chicane at the end of 2003, and admitted that he was still driving over-cautiously as a result.

"If I'd been driving with a bit more confidence I think I could have gone quicker at every corner," he said. "Since my accident I've been too careful when people try to pass me. Nick Jones came down the inside from quite a long way back at one point and I drove right down the escape road to get out of his way because I really don't want to have another accident like that. I've finished with crashing now!"

The race would be even more enjoyable for James. FFord experts felt that Saturday's contest was by far the most entertaining and competitive event of the 2004 season so far, and Wren eschewed the rather coy approach he had adopted for qualifying and got into the thick of the action. He made a typically strong start, skilfully avoided the after-shocks of a messy collision at the Esses on the opening lap, and by lap three had got his Prosig-sponsored Van Diemen RF92 up to 15 th place. At this point James was running with James Hamilton and Alexander Khateeb, who would go on to finish seventh and eighth, but this pair moved out of range when Wren was caught up with novice Alan Hamilton as both passed Matthew Docherty.

"I didn't panic when Alan Hamilton passed me because I assumed he was faster and would pull away, but he just seemed to go slower and get more and more erratic," said James. "I had a few chances to pass him when he flew off onto the grass, but I held back a bit because I didn't know what he was going to do next and I really can't afford to get caught up in any more accidents."

With two laps to go Hamilton and Wren had advanced to 11 th and 12 th , with regular frontrunner Wayne Poole in amongst them but a lap down after an early incident, and the extremely rapid Mark Funnell closing in fast having spun on lap two. James was lucky to escape a potentially nasty moment when a car ahead dislodged one of the marker posts from the Bobbies chicane - the flying post sheering off his wing mirror and striking his helmet but not doing any serious damage. As they began the final lap, Wren finally edged ahead of Hamilton to take 11 th , and a collision between frontrunners Steven Jensen and Andrew Harris allowed James to sweep between them at Quarry corner and secure ninth - equalling his best ever result in fine style.

"I had no idea I was as high as that!" he said afterwards. "That was fantastic, there was so much close racing - I felt like I was constantly passing and repassing people. We were probably a little bit lucky to get ninth, but the car was quick and I reckon I was taking some of the corners a lot quicker than I was in qualifying. All in all, it's been a very positive day and I hope we can fit in another race at Combe later in the year."