Driver wins a record-breaking third Mini Challenge

Dan Zelos, from Norfolk, clinched the Mini Challenge championship with three races to spare

A racing driver has made history by winning the Mini Challenge championship for a third time.

Dan Zelos, from Dereham, in Norfolk, got enough points at Dunfermline's Knockhill circuit at the weekend to take an unassailable lead with one meeting to spare.

In the weekend's final race, Zelos finished fifth, but close rival Max Hall had to retire after a driveshaft issue. That extended Zelos's lead, and means no one can catch him going into the last three races at Brands Hatch.

Zelos described this year's campaign as a "perfect season".

From knockbacks to Knockhill

Zelos, who drives for the EXCELR8 team, has an unassailable lead of 122 points

Zelos won his first Mini Challenge championship - where every car is a Mini - in 2021, but failed to defend his title in 2022.

That spurred him on to win in 2023, and to successfully defend his title this year - the back-to-back wins confirmed at the meeting in Dunfermline.

"I learnt a lot about myself and as a driver," he said, "I think we showed that we learnt... to defend it successfully this year."

Zelos admitted the team won the championship so early, there was not time for the success to sink in.

"We had an 8-hour trip back [from Knockhill] to Dereham, so the most celebration we had was the meal deal from the service station," he said.

The team will get a chance to celebrate properly with the trophy lift at the last meeting in Brands Hatch, in October.

Making the step up

After triple success, the Dereham driver will now be looking for the chance to compete in the British Touring Car Championship.

"I feel like I've shown more than enough of what I can do," he said.

"We've now got that little bit of extra time now to try and make something happen for 2025.

"The harder work's almost done away from the track... hopefully we'll be able to join a new and more exciting grid for next year."